Richard "Dick" Fryrear, 76 of Haxtun passed away Thursday, December 17, 2020 in Greeley, CO. Due to the pandemic, a small private funeral will be held.  Dick's friends may view the livestream of the funeral at www.facebook.com/chaneyreager at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, December 22. A public celebration of life and burial will be held at a later date.

Richard (Dick) Fryrear was born in Haxtun, Colorado on June 18, 1944 to Melvin and Mary (Thompson) Fryrear.  He was the third child following his sisters Helen and Barbara.  The Fryrears lived in the tight-knit community of Highland Center south of Haxtun.  Dick attended the Highland Center Grade School.  He often remarked that he received a great education there because the information was repeated for each class and, in that way, reinforced for those who had covered it previously and previewed for those coming later.  After grade school, Dick began riding the school bus into Haxtun for high school where he loved playing the linebacker position in football.  During his junior year, he met and began dating Diane Daniel.  On graduation, Dick received a Joint Honor scholarship and entered the Colorado School of Mines.  During his junior year at Mines Dick and Diane were married.  During Dick's senior year, son Christopher was born.  Graduating sixth in his class with a dual degree in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, he was offered a position with Shell Chemical Company; and, the young family moved to the Los Angeles area for training before being assigned a position in New York City eight months later.

While working in New York and living in Leonia, New Jersey, daughter Andrea was born.  1968 brought another move; this time, to the Philadelphia area where the family settled into a new housing development in New Jersey.  During their time in Mt. Laurel, son Sean was born.  However, after 4 years, yet another transfer sent the family to Stow, Massachusetts where they enjoyed the rich history of the area and new friendships.  In 1977, with a new move looming, the couple made the decision to abandon the nomadic lifestyle, purchase Dick's parent's farm and return to Haxtun.

Dick thoroughly enjoyed farming; but, more than that he enjoyed pausing in his day for a couple of hours or more to visit with neighbors.  He had seemingly hundreds of stories that he so enjoyed recanting, possibly adding new embellishments with each telling.  He served on the school board, leading the effort to retain the BOCES organization in Haxtun and to build a new building for that purpose.  He also served in numerous capacities in the United Methodist Church, Haxtun Hospital Foundation, the Haxtun Lions club and the Points West Bank Board.  On retirement, Dick, an avid history buff, began to thoroughly enjoy travel, striking up conversations with anyone who would visit with him wherever he found himself.  Dick will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather and neighbor to all.

He is preceded in death by his parents; infant brother, Alan; son, Sean; sister, Helen Lambert and brother-in-law, Darrell Lambert.

Dick is survived by his sister, Barbara Saylor of Sterling; wife Diane of Haxtun; son Chris and wife Maria of Haxtun; daughter Andrea and husband Mike Davidson of Greeley; daughter-in-law, Rachael Fryrear of Haxtun; grandchildren, Hannah and Ellie Davidson and Kyle and Zach Fryrear; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.