Kenneth "Ken" Fraze

Kenneth ‘Ken’ Fraze, 85

INVERNESS, Florida

Kenneth L. ‘Ken’ Fraze, 85, passed away Nov. 8, 2023, at Ocala Health and Rehabilitation Center under the care of Hospice of Marion County in Ocala, Fla. He was born Jan. 4, 1938, on a farm near Winchester, Ind. His parents were the late Glenn and Bernice (Vanderburg) Fraze. Also preceding him in death were three sisters, Betty Metzger, Helen Rowles and Janice Sipe; ex-wife, Carol (Barnes) Fraze; and grandson, Andrew A. Fraze.

A 1956 graduate of McKinley High School, Winchester, Ind., he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Ball State Teachers College in 1960, and a Master’s degree in Education from Our Lady of the Lake College in 1973.

A distinguished graduate of Air Force ROTC at Ball State, he was commissioned as a U.S. Air Force second lieutenant in 1960, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1981. During his 21-year career as a communications officer, he served in assignments overseas in Newfoundland, Germany, and Vietnam; and stateside in Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Alaska, and Colorado. He was in charge of communication operations, maintenance, plans and programs, and retired as chief of maintenance at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colo.

In addition to spending time with family and friends, he enjoyed cooking, hunting, fishing, and traveling, especially to New Zealand, where he hunted red stag and elk. He was a member of Inverness First United Methodist Church and the Military Officers Association of America Citrus County Chapter.

Surviving are his loving wife of 40 years, Leslie (Hutchison) Fraze, two sons, Russell Fraze (Karen Jenkins) and Andrew E. Fraze (Melissa), step-daughter, Shannon Muchow (Michael Baker), three grandsons, Eric, Nathan and Joshua Fraze, granddaughter-in-law Courtney Minor, two great-grandchildren, Nova and Nicolas Fraze, and two step-grandsons, Travis and Christian Donatoni.

Visitation will be at 8:30 a.m., with a celebration of life service at 9 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 8, at Heinz Funeral Home in Inverness. His nephew, Rev. Jeff Rowles, will officiate, assisted by Rev. Mike Kramer. A memorial service with full military honors will be held at 11 a.m. at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. A memorial reception will be held at 1 p.m. at Inverness First United Methodist Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Path of Citrus County, P.O. Box 3024, Inverness Fla. 34451; or online at www.PathofCitrus.org.

Messages of condolence may be left for the family at www.heinzfh.com.