Obituary
John Paul Fye (Johnny) age 90 of Port Orange, FL went home to be with the Lord on December 10, 2017.
He was born October 10, 1927 in Marsh Creek, PA, a son of Orin E. and Sara (Ritz) Fye.
Johnny graduated from Howard High School and attended some classes in Agriculture at Penn State University.
He learned to play mandolin and guitar as a youth growing up on the farm in Pa. He was an accomplished musician, singer and songwriter and artist who at age 19 traveled with his brother Gene extensively out west playing country and western music show dates with various bands including Happy Bill, eventually ending up at Shreveport, LA performing at the Louisiana Hayride Jamboree with his talented sister Mary June also and many up and coming stars of country music, such as Hank Williams SR, Red Sovine, Tex Ritter, Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Ernest Tubb to name a few. He and his brother Gene sang and played in Kentucky and West Virginia on radio stations and parks before returning to PA yet continuing the music at local radio and various venues in the Lock Haven area. He worked for Piper Aircraft in Lock Haven as a welder and then radio technician for 17 years before moving to Port Orange, FL in 1967, where he worked at the GE factory on the Apollo project until that era ended and he went to work for Independent Life Insurance where he retired after 20 plus years. He later took a part time position with Brown and Brown which he enjoyed very much until moving to Porterville, MS living by Jimbo Lenning, then eventually back to Port Orange. He was an accomplished artist, creating great paintings of his precious memories of beautiful farm scenes. Even at age 90 he was still quoting poems and songs that he learned as a boy from his Dad and never lost his sense of humor in telling of the many adventures of his life. He was an avid fisherman all of his life and enjoyed boating as well. He had been a member of Covenant Methodist Church, Port Orange, FL.
On June 21, 1950, he married his Kentucky sweetheart, Bobbie Jean Ratliff, who preceded him in death on September 21, 1992.
In December 1995, he married Patsy A Hart who preceded him in death on July 14, 2006.
He is survived by his 4 daughters Karen Haller (Mike) of Gainesville, Wanda Cramer (Bill) of Port St Lucie, Terri Lenning (Don Pratt) of Port Orange and Tina Fye (Todd Garner) of New Smyrna Beach; 5 grandchildren, Kevin Erhardt, Tim Erhardt, Crystal Lenning Dubowsky, Paul Hatcher, Colin Cramer; 4 great grandchildren, Gage Erhardt, Robert Dubowsky III, Kyle Erhardt, Justin Erhardt and 1 great great grandson, Robert Dubowsky IV.; his brothers George Fye (Connie) Vero Beach, FL and Bill Fye (Peg), Warriors Mark, PA.; cousin Linda Adams, Boca Raton, FL and niece Lou Ann Dick, The Villages, Fl, niece Lorene Santa Croce, Port Orange, FL and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was predeceased by brother Harry Fye, sister Mary June Grimm and brother Gene Fye.
Baldwin Funeral Home, Port Orange, FL in charge.
A special thank you to staff and friends of Port Orange Nursing and Rehab and Halifax Health Hospice Port Orange.
Mr. Fye was a very pleasant, loving, funny, talented man who treated everyone
with sincerity and kindness. He will be greatly missed by many.
Service
620 Dunlawton Avenue, Port Orange, Florida 32127
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