For most of her youth, Fry grew up on Long Rapids Road with her family. In 1965, she was named Miss Alpena. After graduating from Alpena High School, she discussed with her father what her future might hold. One option was as a professional model, and another was as an airline flight attendant (once called stewardess.)

Fry opted to train as a flight attendant at a Kansas City school.

With a 30-plus-year airline career, her first assignment, at age 18, was with Central Airlines (later merged into the original Frontier Airlines). She then joined Braniff International Airlines for a 15-year career. Her last career move was with Piedmont Airlines, which later merged into U.S. Airways.

Her flight career took her across the globe to Europe, Central and South America, Asia, the Middle East, and North America.

Courtesy Photo Gay (Irwin) Fry is seen as Miss Alpena in 1965.

Upon retirement from the airline profession, her career turned to being a doula, as well as promoting the health and healing arts. After a divorce, she authored a book entitled, “111 Ways to Let Go of Painful Relationships.” The book is available from Amazon.

In 2007, Fry returned to Alpena to be with and care for her mother. She continued to emphasize health and healing, yoga, and worked as a massage therapist.

From 1968 to 1970, with Braniff and contract airlines, she was a flight attendant on airlines shuttling military members to and from Vietnam. Her flights were frequently on Boeing 707 aircraft carrying 165 passengers, along with a flight crew.

“Many guys had never been on a plane before or left their hometowns,” Fry recalled. “They were scared, and rightly so.”

She stated that, as they landed in Vietnam, they sometimes were under enemy ground fire.

Courtesy Photo Gay Fry — top row, second from left — is seen with her Braniff International Airlines flight attendant graduating class in this undated photo.

“When we prepared for the return flight, the crew cleaned the plane’s interior, rather than utilizing local personnel,” Fry said. “We were informed they could plant a bomb on the aircraft.”

On her first military flight, as she was walking down the aircraft’s aisle, a solider looked at her and inquired, “Were you Miss Alpena?” He was from Alpena.

Later, at the Philippines’ Clark Air Force Base, Fry was crossing the tarmac with a coworker. A voice chimed out, “Hi, Gay.” Another Alpena resident.

Fry stated that, during many of her career flights, they said goodbye to departing passengers. However, on military flights, they never said goodbye. Rather, they might say, “See you again!”

“During this career period, I felt sorry for the Vietnam veterans,” Fry said. “Nothing like risking your life and no one cares. I once met a young soldier who went off to serve after her wedding. She returned horrified at her marriage choice, how much they each changed.”

Courtesy Photo Gay Fry, right, is seen in Vietnam with a military member draped in her scarf and Pat, a fellow Braniff International Airlines flight attendant.

With return flights, Fry saw military members kiss the American ground after they landed.

Jeffrey D. Brasie is a retired health care CEO. He frequently writes feature stories and op-eds for various Michigan newspapers. As a Vietnam-era veteran, he served in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Naval Reserve. He served on the public affairs staff of the secretary of the navy. He grew up in Alpena and resides in suburban Detroit.