Deanna B. (Herman) Fryer

Deanna B. (Herman) Fryer

Mt. Shasta - Dea found her Spirit Wings and flew free from her beautiful Mount Shasta home on December 30, 2020. Her beloved daughter Gentle Thunder was by her side until her last breath. Having lived 83 full years, Dea passed having expressed contentment with her life, exuding a sense of completion, enormous gratitude and love of and for her family, friends and community.

She lived a diverse and adventurous life, authentic, true to herself and to those she loved. She was honest, not afraid to express herself and therefore you always knew where you stood with Dea. She loved and protected family and those she cared for like a Mama Bear. She was affectionately known to many as "Mama Dea" and by the Fryer family as "Grandma Glue".

Dea was born in the grandeur of the Canadian Rockies in Jasper, Alberta, daughter of Gladys and Rudolph "Slim" Herman. A few years later her family moved to Edmonton which left her longing for the mountains. Leaving home and school at age 14, she went to the Yukon to help her older brother Carl build a log cabin. She soon set out on her own again, becoming a student of the world. She was a born adventurer who was courageous, creative, self motivated, extremely resourceful, possessed an inquisitive mind, sharp wit and fabulous sense of humor.

She loved to ski (snow and water) and in her early 20's won a water ski championship in Kelowna, B.C. While living in Vancouver B.C. she often commuted to Washington to ski. She took a job at IBM in Seattle and later became a flight attendant for Pan Am. In 1960 she met and married multifaceted athlete and sporting goods salesman Jim Carpenter. Together they had a son and a daughter. They raised their very active family while living in New Mexico and the Pacific N.W. until they divorced in 1979. In 1981 their family endured the death of young son Jim who was working on a crab processing boat in Alaska.

A bright spot in 1981 was when Dea met John C. Fryer Sr. while beach-combing with her dog at Point No Point, WA. They hit it off with one another and in 1983 traveled for a year in a VW Vanagon throughout 27 European countries. They moved to Mount Shasta in 1985, began creating Sun Mountain subdivision with his son John Fryer Jr. and cultivated a strong community of friends. They married in 1989.

"Big John" had a dream to create Mount Shasta Resort Golf Course, Chalets and Siskiyou Lake Highlands subdivision. They invited their six adult diversely skilled children to relocate and make that dream into a reality. All six agreed and with the help of many local craftsman, contractors and friends the ribbon cutting was May, 1993.

By 1995, they had built their final home and began traveling again. They sojourned in South America, Costa Rica, Peru, Australia, New Zealand and made annual trips to fish in British Columbia and visit Dea's Canadian family.

Big John passed in 2000 and although she missed her beloved husband she found comfort in her home, visiting and traveling with her daughter, family and friends exploring the U.S., Brazil, Africa, Ireland, Egypt, Turkey and fulfilling a life-long dream of visiting Petra, Jordan.

With interests wide and varied she loved to dance, fish, beach comb, camp, laugh, enjoy good food, cigars, cocktails, casinos, poker, horse races, visit waterfalls worldwide, listen to music, read, watch movies and Dancing with the Stars, entertain, celebrate birthdays, play scrabble and cribbage, hand deliver her monthly payments, create beautiful pottery, garden, sow wildflower seeds, hike, watch and photograph wildlife and wondered what hummingbirds thought. Many animal companions graced her life, completing with her grand-dog Pogo.

Dea was an immense presence, wonderful mother and Gentle Thunder's greatest fan. She was a patron of the arts, shrewd in business, tai chi practitioner, great cook, soccer player, softball coach and a voracious reader. Dea was a wise woman who valued punctuality, her friendships and honored her word.

As a social gal, she hosted a weekly poker game, played tennis & pickle ball, was a member of Woman to Woman Art group, an investment club, Sr. Theater and the Coffee Clan. She brought good will and commitment to her community while volunteering at the Humane Society Paws-n-Shop, M.S. Museum, Thanksgiving Meal and was a deeply devoted volunteer at Mercy Hospice Mount Shasta for 14 years.

Dea was fiercely independent and strong willed. As her health diminished, her final year necessitated daily care from Gentle Thunder who was honored to assist her mother and dear friend.

It was an enormous blessing for Dea to be in her home and so lovingly cared for by her daughter and the astounding Mercy Hospice "family" she loved and knew so well! Dea's family would like to express great respect and appreciation for the entire Hospice team, supplemental caregivers Chloe and Gloria, as well as friends who were invaluable allies during her last few months.

Dea was predeceased by her son Jim Carpenter, her parents Gladys and Slim Herman, and husband John Fryer Sr. She is survived by daughter Gentle Thunder, siblings Carl (Joy) Herman, Ron (Connie) Herman, Jean (Frank) Greenough, step children Wesley (Larry) Cook, John Jr.(Carlita) Fryer, Christian (Chris) Fryer, Finley (Jayne) Fryer, Guy (Lynn) Fryer, many nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and life-long friend Jana Willow.

Gentle Thunder will be hosting a Celebration of Life Memorial Service for her beloved Mother. The gathering will be OUTDOORS at the Mount Shasta Resort on August 21, 2021 at 10:30 AM.

There will be golf cart shuttles to the seating area for elders and those needing a lift. If smoke or weather are an issue, we will gather in the Siskiyou Room downstairs at the Resort. Kindly send stories about Dea, questions or RSVP to: Dea@gentlethunder.com

For those who wish to make donations in Dea's honor please support Mercy Hospice Mount Shasta, Siskiyou Humaine Society, Mount Shasta Library or gift someone you know that needs assistance.