Richland Parish, Louisiana- Obituary Sherrill Kilgore Fragala ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** * Obituary of Sherrill Kilgore Fragala as printed in Richland Beacon News on March 11, 1999 Rayville- Services for Sherrill Kilgore Fragala 90, of Rayville, Louisiana were held at 10:30 A.M. on Wednesday, March 3, 1999 at the First Baptist Church in Rayville with Dr. Ernst Winburn officiating. Burial followed in the Rayville Masonic Cemetery under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Homes of Rayville. Mrs. Fragala was born March 7, 1908 in Menglewood, Tennessee. She died March 1, 1999 at Richardson Medical Center, following a lengthy illness. Mrs. Fragala attended Louisiana Tech, earned her Bachelor’s Degree at Louisiana State Normal and later earned her Master’s Degree from Mississippi College. She completed her graduate work by getting her Masters Plus 30 from Northeast Louisiana University. She began teaching in 1926. After teaching one year in Gilbert, Louisiana and four years in Start, Louisiana, she came to work at Rayville Elementary School. She taught third grade until she retired in 1974. Mrs. Fragala loved working with children, and after she retired, continued to teach by tutoring many children in her home. As a dedicated teacher, Mrs. Fragala worked toward getting the Teacher Tenure Law passed. She always worked with the teachers’ organizations to improve teaching conditions and after retirement worked with the retired teachers’organizations. Recently a video tape was made during an interview with Mrs. Fragala. She discussed her teaching experiences and the changes in education that occurred from 1926 to the present. The tape has been filed in the Archives of the State Department of Education. Until her recent ill health, Mrs. Fragala was well known for active support and membership in many social and civic organizations, including Delta Kappa Gamma, DMA, Literary Club, Retired Teacher’s Association, Civic Connections,and Rhymes Memorial Library. She was equally active in and supportive of her church work. She lived the life of true Christian. This beautiful person,so young at heart, has enjoyed the love and respect of family and friends of all ages. Throughout her adult life, she has been confidant, motivator, advisor and “mother” to so many young and old. Her love of family and friends and her compassion and understanding knew no bounds. Her passing is truly a loss to her family and the community. Mrs. Fragala was preceded in death by her husband, Sam Fragala and by her parents Brutus and Hattie Kilgore. Survivors include her cousins Peggy McWhirter of Michigan, Martha Gray Young of Kentucky,and Olive McClain of Illinois: a nephew, John Fragala of Archibald, Louisiana, four nieces, Josephine Hightower of Rayville, Louisiana, Theresa Lambert and Cindy Foster of Delhi, Louisiana and Mrs. Frank Fragala of Monroe, Louisiana. She is also survived by numerous great nieces and nephews, whom she “loved to pieces” and who loved her back just as much. Serving as pallbearers were John Hoychick, Todd Morris, Orie Gene Morris, David Day, Dan Lane and John David Knight. Memorial may be made to First Baptist Church of Rayville, the Baptist Children’s Home or to the charity of your choice. interview