Obituary of John Robert Fraser

John Robert Fraser, 89, of State College, PA, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 19, 2017. Born March 2, 1927, in Halliday, ND, he was the son of the late Donald Archibald and Edythe Emma Stein Fraser. John grew up in Toad Lake, MN, and Park Rapids, MN. While in Park Rapids HS, John was a very good athlete and participated on the football team, captained the basketball team for two years, was on the tennis team and the track squad where he was a pole vaulter and a high jumper. At the age of 17, John enlisted in the Merchant Marines. Shortly after his high school graduation in 1944, he went to boot camp in Brooklyn, New York. He was assigned to the USAT George Washington, then the USAT Henry Gibbons with ports of call in France, Italy and North Africa. John continued his duty by enlisting in the U.S. Navy. He served on the USS Hector, traveling to Hawaii, Guam, Shanghai, Tsingtao, and Hong Kong. After his last assignment aboard the USS Hyades, John entered the Naval Reserves and was honorably discharged in 1953. While in the reserves, John completed his senior accounting degree at the Minneapolis Business College. He was employed as a regional sales manager for the Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway, which later became the SOO Line. He was a member of the New York Traffic Club. In 1952 he married Rose Gimmestad, who preceded him in death in 2000. John and Rose moved to Bergen County, New Jersey in 1960 and enjoyed living in the Ramsey Golf and Country Club for almost 40 years. John loved bowling, playing golf with the “Hardy Boys” (who nicknamed him Choo-Choo!) and joking with friends. John won the club golf championship in 1986. In 1992 John suffered a major stroke. Even though his ability to golf was eliminated and his speech was severely affected, John persevered and became fiercely independent (and stubborn!). He enjoyed becoming a grandfather, traveling to numerous Park Rapids HS and ship reunions, Wednesday poker games and coffee hour, shuffle board games, tailgating at PSU football games, and having an “occasional” vodka tonic (no lime!!) He is survived by two daughters, Karen F. Conroy, her husband, John, of, Boalsburg, PA and Janine R. Fraser, her partner, Tom Zorich, of Ramsey, NJ, granddaughter, Ava Rose Conroy, and many beloved nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by an infant brother, and a step-mother, Eula Fraser. A Celebration of Life will be held in the Spring at a time determined by the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of John to Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society WWW.NMCRS.ORG or via mail: Navy-Marine Corps. Relief Society, Attn: Development, 875 N. Randolph Street, Suite 225, Arlington, VA 22203.