Mary Virginia Fridy

Mary Virginia (Powell) Fridy, 95, of Onton passed away at 4:55 p.m. Monday, April 10, 2017, at Deaconess Gateway in Newburgh, Indiana. She was born in 1922 to the late Samuel Ray and Ruby (Faulkner) Powell. Mary Virginia owned and operated a beauty shop in Onton most of her life and was still fixing hair until just two years ago, having outlived most of her customers. She was licensed as a beautician at age 19, on Feb. 4, 1941, and her license was still active at the time of her death, 76 years later. It is believed she was the oldest licensed beautician in the state of Kentucky. Mary Virginia was an active member of Onton Methodist Church where she taught a youth Sunday school class well into her 90s, driving to Henderson or Madisonville to get chicken nuggets for her class every Sunday. When no one else was available to lead the youth MYF group, she and Frank Hancock took on the task in their late 80s. The family is grateful for the support the church and the Onton community have provided her. She also was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, C. Frank Fridy on Nov. 29, 1986; eight siblings, Ruby Louise Powell Logsdon, Sammie Powell Faulkner, Archie Ray Powell, Margelete Powell Boyd, Lydia Powell O'Nan, Lois Powell Townsend, Paul Turner Powell and Ruth Powell Bradley. Survivors include her son, Tommy Joe Fridy of Henderson; two brothers, Roy Faulkner Powell and wife Mildred of Poole and Tommy David Powell and wife Wanda of Henderson; three grandchildren, Allison Fridy Arbuckle and husband John of Norfolk, Virginia, Meredith Fridy Helm and husband Chad of Lexington and Tommie Ann Fridy McCormack and husband Patrick of Atlanta; five great-grandchildren, Ella Virginia Arbuckle, John "Jack" Wiliamson Arbuckle Jr., Lily Taylor Helm, Lydia Grace Helm and Charlotte Ann McCormack; and nieces and nephews. Services are 11 a.m. Friday at Tomblinson Funeral Home in Sebree, officiated by Pastor Marty Robertsone. Burial is in Onton Cemetery. Visitation is from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and from 9:30 a.m. until service time Friday. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Onton Cemetery Fund, 27 Melton Lane, Sebree, KY 42455. The family would like to give special thanks to Mary Virginia's caregivers, Mary Lou Ashby, Debbie Gish, Michelle Goodwin, Kathy Greenwood, Sue Melton, Helen Posey, Debbie Wilson and Rhonetta Woods.