Obituary for Stanley A. Fray
Stanley A. Fray was born on June 17, 1921, to Samuel A. Fray and Charlotte Thorpe Fray, in Betheltown, Jamaica, W.I. At the tender age of 6, his mother passed away. Several years later, his father married a Salvation Army Officer who served in British Honduras (Belize), lovingly known as “Miss Bea.” Stanley came to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior as a teenager, and fully gave Him his heart and devotion.
In his early twenties, he joined the World War II war-work effort, traveling to the United States to work on farms and in factories around the country. In 1949, he met Alvera Rolle at a work site in Maryland. He convinced the young high school graduates’ parents to let him marry her, instead of sending her off to college. Stanley and Alvera were married five months later, on October 22, 1949. After a three-month honeymoon in Jamaica, they returned to the United States and moved to New York City in the Bronx. They found their church home with the believers of Grace Gospel Chapel in Manhattan, NY.
In 1955, Stanley and Alvera joined in with his brother Sanford, and his vision for a Sunday School work in White Plains, NY. Along with Sanford and his wife Joyce, Simeon Jones, and other willing believers, they zealously began the work in a garage on Prospect Street. Their labor of love spawned an assembly, Shiloh Gospel Chapel, that was established in 1958. In 1962, Stanley and Alvera moved to White Plains where they could more readily support the young assembly. Hospitality was an integral part of their ministry. They generously opened their home to God’s people and hosted a myriad of guest speakers. They became a home away from home for many weary travelers. Their Sunday dinner table always had room for someone else.
Brother Stanley Fray was a founding elder of Shiloh Gospel Chapel. He served in that capacity for 61 consecutive years. He was a respected faith-leader in the Westchester community and the NY Metropolitan area. Stanley truly enjoyed teaching and preaching the Word of God. He spent long hours in prayer and meditation. He didn’t just read scripture; he studied the Word of God to understand the book as a whole, the world history it chronicles, its prophecies, its admonitions, God’s promises to mankind and the power of salvation given through Jesus Christ. He poured over the text, cross-referenced passages, and used his study tools to understand and rightly divide the Word of Truth.
His heart was for missions and he encouraged the believers that the Christian mandate is to go out and seek the lost… not to wait for them to come to church. No matter who you were, he witnessed. Brother Fray was always focused on things of the Lord, he was concerned about the well-being of the believers, and used every opportunity to share the foundational truths of our faith. He did not consider his position as an elder, a title to be coveted, but rather a solemn responsibility to his Lord and Savior. He took to heart the chapel’s motto verse found in John 9:4: “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work.”
Over the 64 years of his commitment to the work in White Plains, Brother Fray never went far unless church matters were settled and there was someone to shepherd the flock, however with two sons in the airline industry, travel was readily available. In 1979, Stanley and Alvera made their first trip to India to visit missionaries who the Chapel supported in Secunderabad. He made a second trip in 1994, where he received an honorary Doctorate degree from Bharat Bible College. He returned home as Dr. Stanley Fray.
Stanley’s profession, like his father, was carpentry. He liberally used his knowledge and skills on his own home and also on the storefront church locations at Orawaupum and Primrose Streets. At age 78, Stanley, along with his son Stephen as the General Contractor, worked hand-in-hand to build the new church home of Shiloh Gospel Chapel at 27 Juniper Hill Road, White Plains, NY. The project was completed, and the building was dedicated in 1998 at Shiloh’s 40th Anniversary Conference. In 2018 the believers of Shiloh Gospel Chapel celebrated a Diamond Jubilee of 60 years as a lighthouse in White Plains. At that joyous occasion, three of the founding members of the chapel remained: Stanley, Alvera and Joyce Fray. His dear wife, Alvera D. Fray, preceded him to Glory on April 23, 2019. Stanley A. Fray slipped away to his eternal reward on September 6, 2019.
Stanley, and his wife Alvera, of nearly 70 years have five children, twelve grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. The family rejoices for their father’s victory, even as they mourn his passing. However, they have strong memories to cherish, and a solid legacy to sustain them. Their father was a faithful man who was zealous to do God’s calling on his life, he was a loving husband and father, a dedicated faith-leader, a good friend to many, and a genuine example to follow.
The Entire Staff of Lee's Funeral Home, LLC respects that the Fray family entrusted the care of their loved one to us, and that they value the level of service & attention our funeral home provides. We are honored, in turn, to provide comfort, assistance and service to the Fray family during their time of bereavement.
In LIEU of flowers, the family appreciates/kindly requests contributions be made in his name/memory to his beloved church: Shiloh Gospel Chapel (may be done through donation tab here on website at links below towards bottom of page under Donations; or on your own at address above). If flowers are sent despite family contribution request, they may be delivered on Friday Sept. 13th, 2019 by/before 3:00pm to Lee's Funeral Home, or at 4pm to the Shiloh Gospel Chapel (address above). The Family Thanks You!
In his early twenties, he joined the World War II war-work effort, traveling to the United States to work on farms and in factories around the country. In 1949, he met Alvera Rolle at a work site in Maryland. He convinced the young high school graduates’ parents to let him marry her, instead of sending her off to college. Stanley and Alvera were married five months later, on October 22, 1949. After a three-month honeymoon in Jamaica, they returned to the United States and moved to New York City in the Bronx. They found their church home with the believers of Grace Gospel Chapel in Manhattan, NY.
In 1955, Stanley and Alvera joined in with his brother Sanford, and his vision for a Sunday School work in White Plains, NY. Along with Sanford and his wife Joyce, Simeon Jones, and other willing believers, they zealously began the work in a garage on Prospect Street. Their labor of love spawned an assembly, Shiloh Gospel Chapel, that was established in 1958. In 1962, Stanley and Alvera moved to White Plains where they could more readily support the young assembly. Hospitality was an integral part of their ministry. They generously opened their home to God’s people and hosted a myriad of guest speakers. They became a home away from home for many weary travelers. Their Sunday dinner table always had room for someone else.
Brother Stanley Fray was a founding elder of Shiloh Gospel Chapel. He served in that capacity for 61 consecutive years. He was a respected faith-leader in the Westchester community and the NY Metropolitan area. Stanley truly enjoyed teaching and preaching the Word of God. He spent long hours in prayer and meditation. He didn’t just read scripture; he studied the Word of God to understand the book as a whole, the world history it chronicles, its prophecies, its admonitions, God’s promises to mankind and the power of salvation given through Jesus Christ. He poured over the text, cross-referenced passages, and used his study tools to understand and rightly divide the Word of Truth.
His heart was for missions and he encouraged the believers that the Christian mandate is to go out and seek the lost… not to wait for them to come to church. No matter who you were, he witnessed. Brother Fray was always focused on things of the Lord, he was concerned about the well-being of the believers, and used every opportunity to share the foundational truths of our faith. He did not consider his position as an elder, a title to be coveted, but rather a solemn responsibility to his Lord and Savior. He took to heart the chapel’s motto verse found in John 9:4: “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work.”
Over the 64 years of his commitment to the work in White Plains, Brother Fray never went far unless church matters were settled and there was someone to shepherd the flock, however with two sons in the airline industry, travel was readily available. In 1979, Stanley and Alvera made their first trip to India to visit missionaries who the Chapel supported in Secunderabad. He made a second trip in 1994, where he received an honorary Doctorate degree from Bharat Bible College. He returned home as Dr. Stanley Fray.
Stanley’s profession, like his father, was carpentry. He liberally used his knowledge and skills on his own home and also on the storefront church locations at Orawaupum and Primrose Streets. At age 78, Stanley, along with his son Stephen as the General Contractor, worked hand-in-hand to build the new church home of Shiloh Gospel Chapel at 27 Juniper Hill Road, White Plains, NY. The project was completed, and the building was dedicated in 1998 at Shiloh’s 40th Anniversary Conference. In 2018 the believers of Shiloh Gospel Chapel celebrated a Diamond Jubilee of 60 years as a lighthouse in White Plains. At that joyous occasion, three of the founding members of the chapel remained: Stanley, Alvera and Joyce Fray. His dear wife, Alvera D. Fray, preceded him to Glory on April 23, 2019. Stanley A. Fray slipped away to his eternal reward on September 6, 2019.
Stanley, and his wife Alvera, of nearly 70 years have five children, twelve grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. The family rejoices for their father’s victory, even as they mourn his passing. However, they have strong memories to cherish, and a solid legacy to sustain them. Their father was a faithful man who was zealous to do God’s calling on his life, he was a loving husband and father, a dedicated faith-leader, a good friend to many, and a genuine example to follow.
The Entire Staff of Lee's Funeral Home, LLC respects that the Fray family entrusted the care of their loved one to us, and that they value the level of service & attention our funeral home provides. We are honored, in turn, to provide comfort, assistance and service to the Fray family during their time of bereavement.
In LIEU of flowers, the family appreciates/kindly requests contributions be made in his name/memory to his beloved church: Shiloh Gospel Chapel (may be done through donation tab here on website at links below towards bottom of page under Donations; or on your own at address above). If flowers are sent despite family contribution request, they may be delivered on Friday Sept. 13th, 2019 by/before 3:00pm to Lee's Funeral Home, or at 4pm to the Shiloh Gospel Chapel (address above). The Family Thanks You!