Grandpa Fraizer went home to the Lord this morning. I am not sad but rejoicing. This is a man that lived a full life. Knew the Lord as his personal savior and was 93 years old. When we visited with him this summer he told me he was tired and ready to go home. What a day of rejoicing in Heaven there is today. A family reunited. Here is the eulogy that was read at his memorial held on 11/25/11 at his church Fair Oaks Baptist.
Donovan Harvey Fraizer of Bentonsport, Iowa was born to Warren & Gracie Fraizer on February 18, 1918. He was the youngest of six children. His first job was carrying water to the thrashing crew on an old white horse named “Fanny.” At the age of seventeen while working for his sister Alice he met his first love Blanche. Their dates consisted of driving to town, parking the car and watching everyone else go by, because they couldn’t afford the gas money to cruise. They were married on September 14, 1940 at a parsonage in Fairfield, Iowa. They lived with Don’s parents for a short time until Don began working as a farm hand plowing with mules. Their first daughter Karen Louise was born at a hospital on September 2, 1941. Shortly afterwards Don injured his back while farming and Blanche took care of their new baby and farm chores. Later Don went to work in town at the washing machine factory and on May 28, 1943 Robert Wayne was born on the farm. In 1946 they moved to a log cabin with no electricity or running water, paying $10 a month for rent. Don offered the owner $2 more per month if he would put in electricity and he did. On March 26, 1948 Linda Grace was born in that same nearby hospital, in Fairfield, where her older sister was born. Shortly afterwards they moved to a house in town and were fortunate enough to have electricity and running water. Don worked at the ordinance plant making ammunition starting at a $1.10 an hour. It was there that he worked on the atomic bomb, doing machining. When he was about 35 he was laid off and went back to farming. After many different farming jobs and off and on at the washing machine factory he was tired of working all summer to pay for the winter fuel bills.
So in 1957 they rented a u-haul, loaded up everything that would fit, sold the rest and headed to California with no job or place to live. The only people they knew in California was his brother, Wayne, living in Citrus Heights. Don has often laughed telling the story of the one thing that was remembered by all during that trip. Robert had hidden his socks underneath the front seat of the car and they couldn’t figure out where the odor was coming from. After arriving in California they stayed with Wayne for a short time until they found a house in Citrus Heights on Sydney Drive. He secured a job at Arrow Jet, working the assembly line until they went out on strike. He often told us about watching a safety film, getting dizzy, stepping outside the double doors, then passing out. When they tried to leave they had to push him out of the way since he was blocking the doors.
In 1959, they bought their first house on Pratt Avenue with payments of $96 a month and they laid awake at nights wondering how they were going to make the payment. He did a couple of construction jobs until he was able to secure a position at Peri Built Pools. He ran the clean up crew, driving a bobcat and ended up retiring from there. They spent lots of time through the years raising incredible gardens together and enjoying raising their children.
In 1975 their oldest daughter Karen died so Don and Blanche took on the responsibility of raising her two youngest children, Deeane and Leesa. Don professed to know Christ when he was about 8 years old but the change came in his life when he started attending Calvary Baptist Church in 1979. He could be found every evening sitting at the table reading his Bible quietly and praying.
Don had a great sense of humor. Many of us remember him hiding in the closet and jumping out at you when you went to hang up your coat or dousing you with a hose when you came around the corner. Often times while eating dinner he would give you a little grin then pop his false teeth out at you. It always made the kids giggle.
After retiring from Peri Built Don spent lots of time maintaining the church property and building along side his mentor Don Willet. If ever you needed something done everyone at church always new whom to call, the two Don’s.
On September 14, 1990 Don and Blanche celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with many friends and family, where they renewed their wedding vows.
On March 29, 1993, after 53 years of marriage Blanche went home to be with the Lord. Don was very lonely and seemed pretty lost. He continued to attend church and Sunday school activities and the monthly homestretch group lunches. He also continued doing odd jobs for people around the church trying to keep him self busy.
On the 12th of June, 1994 Ila wanted to go to the Old Time Fiddler’s concert at the Grange Hall in Orangevale but she had nobody to go with. She knew Don liked fiddle music and thought he looked lonely, so she asked him to go with her. That evening when Don and Ila went to services at Calvary, Don asked Ila if he could sit by her. By the end of the week Don was asking Ila out to Saturday Night dinner. They took early morning walks down by the creek side. Don felt uneasy about her being out alone at 6 am so he started walking with her. First Ila asked Don in for coffee; then it got to be breakfast and devotions together. Before they knew it she was spending a lot of time feeding him. Don and Ila enjoyed taking rides and bus tours, going to fiddler concerts and “We Care” groups at Arcade church. Most of all they just enjoyed being together. In March of 1996 Ila and Don announced their engagement at Calvary Baptist Church morning service….you should have heard the cheers! They were married on June 2, 1996. They had fourteen wonderful years of marriage together making great memories and going on many exciting adventures together. Ila helped to keep Don young. They may have been married when they were in their 70’s but they still experienced young love.
On Easter Sunday, in 2003 at the age of 85 Don was baptized here at First Baptist Church of Fair Oaks by Wayne Stacks the associate pastor. Don loved volunteering at the church. He never wanted to miss packing and distributing meals for the homeless. He also enjoyed making the coffee for his Sunday school class. You could often find him in the evening playing dominoes with whom ever would play.
In 2006, Don was hospitalized. He was having problems with his throat and heart. The doctors gave him two weeks to live. Miraculously, he made it out of the hospital and into a nursing home. He didn’t like it their at all and was motivated to get well enough to be released. A hospital bed was rented and he moved in to Jim and Deeane’s living room. Ila slept on a mattress on the floor at his side. With lots of love and care Don was back up and around after a short time and they were able to go back home.
As Don and Ila aged gracefully together their came a time when they just needed a little extra help around the house. In 2009, Sally came into their lives. She has been both an angel and a blessing to the entire family.
On the morning of November 21, 2011 after a rough night Don passed away quietly in his sleep. He has passed along an incredible legacy to his children, 11 grandchildren, 29 great grandchildren, and 4 great, great grandchildren. He will be missed immensely but we know he is rejoicing in heaven with Jesus and now he is truly Home.
