sedona legend helen frye

Jack Frye's New Path
without Helen

Sedona Legend Profile Series

The year was 1950, Jack Frye's divorce from Helen was now final and he was free to marry Emily Nevada Smith. He was still president and CEO of General Aniline and Film Corporation, receiving a very good salary. He and his new wife would have a good life.

In 1954, Jack formed the Frye Corporation. On January 27, 1955 he resigned from General Aniline to pursue his new company. This company would design and produce his totally new plane design tailored to the South American market and third world countries. The plane was engineered to be an economical cargo plane with a general range of 300 to 400 miles. It had, 4) engines: two props and two jets. This was a very exciting prospect for Jack as he knew his heart was in the airline industry, not as C.E.O. of Aniline-Ansco. His new corporation was based in Fort Worth Texas. At this same time he became a major stockholder in the Helio Corporation. They manufactured small planes called the Courier which were geared to the executive personal plane market. With a payload design for 5 passengers, or 1000 pounds, it was quite practical. These were short takeoff and landing STOL type aircraft with low stall speeds at less than 30 mph. With cruising speeds of well over 100 mph, and a range of 400 to 1000 miles. They were designed to be used outside of airports utilizing the owner's own property, or in areas where there was no airport. The factory was in Pittsburg Kansas.

During this time period Jack and Emily had a daughter of which they named "Nevajac," for both their names, "Nevada and Jack". In 1959, Jack was in Tucson actively raising money and support to relocate the Helio plant to Tucson. Jack was quite successful and raised $350,000., toward a goal of 1 million dollars.

JACK FRYES' ARE DIVORCED
Prescott Arizona, June 26, 1950

Jack Frye Leases Town Home

May 30, 1951
The four story town house at 236 East Forty-Ninth Street, in Tuttle Bay Gardens, has been leased furnished, by Jack Frye, chairman of the board and president of the Aniline and Film Corporation. Culver, Hollyday & Co. represented the lessee.

Please click on pictures for larger files

A Lonely Road in Arizona

Here was a man- one of the all-time greatest legends of aviation history- he flew some of the riskiest flights and spent more hours in planes than most people spend in cars, yet he died on a lonely sand-swept road in a car, not a plane, at the hands of a drunken careless driver on top of that.
Fate deals us all that final card in the most unpredictable ways.........

The day was Tuesday, February 3rd, 1959, Jack was staying at the Lodge on the Desert- 306 N. Alvernon Way, in Tucson Arizona. Because Jack and his wife Emily were separated, he had been staying there for about 8 months while in town promoting his new airplane and factory. Mrs. Frye was residing in Las Vegas. That evening Jack was returning to the Lodge after a late business meeting, driving his 1959 Cadillac rental car north on Palo Verde Boulevard. This area is in South Tucson near Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Pima Air Museum, Hughes Aircraft Facility, and the Tucson International Airport. The driver of a speeding station wagon was approaching from the west toward the intersection of Ajo Highway and Palo Verde Boulevard as Jack Frye approached. Even though the station wagon had a stop sign it didn't even slow and proceeded to impact the side of Jack's car toward the rear. Jack tried to swerve to avoid the collision. The impact spun the station wagon around and Jack's car proceeded to roll out of control, down the road for 178 feet, finally coming to a rest 40 feet out in the desert. Jack was no longer in the car however, as he was ejected and thrown nearly 30 feet. The woman which hit Jack Frye never even applied the brakes and received only minor injuries. The time was 6:48 p.m.

When an ambulance and the Pima County Sheriff's Department arrived, they found a fatally injured man clinging to life. Conflicting witness reports note a good friend of Jack's at the scene as well, comforting him. (The accident was witnessed by the driver of another car traveling on the same road as Jack).

Jack Frye was rushed to St. Mary's Hospital several miles northwest, his life slowly ebbing away. Heartwrenching as it is, witnesses were said to have heard Frye plea "please help me". The doctors tried desperately to save Jack's life for over an hour, but his injuries were just too severe.

A door opened that night between our physical world and the other side. William John Frye died at 8:35 p.m. from massive external and internal injuries. God called this great man back home- a light was extinguished in our world- simultaneously, another light was brilliantly illuminated in heaven.

The tragedy is, Jack died all alone in a strange hospital surrounded by strangers, far away from Sedona Arizona, a community he considered home. Not a fitting end for a man that was so well known, beloved, and admired by thousands of people. The ironic thing was that one of Jack's biggest accomplishments in life was making air transportation the safest possible for the traveling public, to include the Constellation and DC Series airliners. When asked about a new plane he was helping to develop in the late 1950's he was quoted as saying, "this is the safest plane in the world, I am going to fly one into a brick wall someday to prove it". On the other hand, automobiles in the late 1950's were rolling death traps.

The Frye, Smoke Trail Ranch- Apache Fires, Sedona Arizona

In the early hours of the morning the ominous ringing of a phone is heard wailing in the dark night-finally the phone is answered....."Yes, yes, this is Helen Frye..."

After a few moments of exchanged words, the receiver is shakily replaced. Helen Varner Vanderbilt Frye, overwhelmed with anguish, nearly passes out as she collapses onto a sofa, her body wracked with grief..........nothing further is heard from the House of Apache Fires for hours except for soft weeping, the heart wrenching sound echoing out onto the terraces and into the moonlit night, spilling over the meadows and valleys of Smoke Trail Ranch.

For reasons unknown, I have located a witness that states Jack's then wife, Nevada Frye was not located or contacted until the next morning. Another witness says Helen Frye was called before or shortly after Jack's death. Helen was calling people at 3 a.m. in the morning telling them of Jack's death. It is said Helen and Jack were considering re-marriage at this time.

Jack's funeral was held on Friday at 11:00 a.m. According to Jack's daughter Nevajac, he was given a military service with full honors. Jack was laid to rest at Grantwood Memorial Park, which is now Tucson Memorial Park in Tucson Arizona.

Update: Please note, Jack's sister Sunny in California, had Jack's body moved in 1989 from Tucson to Texas. Jack has now been re-interred along side his brother Donald, parents, and grandparents at the family plot in Wheeler. Please see this Wheeler Times article.

The famous "Lodge on the Desert" in Tucson Arizona.

Recently I read an often repeated conclusion that is simply irresponsible and totally unfounded. The statement is an assault on Jack's character and business judgments. Obviously no attempt has been made by writers to research the true facts. The statement basically conveys that Jack Frye "died broke", and left nothing but an insurance policy for his wife and young daughter. Further- that all his money was invested in his new airplane company. Nearly 50 years later, documents are readily available which reveal this is absolutely untrue. Jack Frye died a very wealthy man, a multimillionaire. He did not invest all his money in a final airplane venture. He sought out investors for that purpose as any prominent business man would do. This money was returned to investors after his death. Jack was a genius with finances- shrewd and secretive, this is very obvious by the wealth he accumulated. He provided luxuriously for all his wives, and through business he provided a good life for thousands of Transcontinental and Western Air employees and colleagues, and in association their families. Many people have Jack Frye to thank for their successes and many are forthcoming in regard to this. Howard Hughes's influx of mega-money into TWA was due to Jack's influence and friendship. When Jack died his affairs were a tangle, this is to be sure, but this was not Jack's doing. His estate became a boondoggle only after he died. His wishes were not followed, legal papers were destroyed, and paper trails covered up. His wealth was hushed up and not made public. Not only were his relatives kept in the dark as to the true state of his affairs, but his own daughter of whom I have been working closely, has only in the last twenty years learned the whole story. His wife of whom he was separated, and desired to divorce, after his death, lived like a queen all over Europe and in the United States after his death. Her homes were akin to palaces. She had access to an unlimited funds from Jack's estate for over 20 years. When she died, unscrupulous people helped themselves to the rest of the tidy sum. The biggest tragedy of all is that Jack's own daughter, who he worshipped was cut off from his financial legacy in the end. His loving intention was to provide for her in trust, as well as many others. However his intentions were disregarded in the most dishonorable manner by high powered attorneys. Now, many years after his death, it is said by misinformed people that he died broke. Certainly the supreme insult to a successful man like Jack Frye, or any man! I feel strongly that Jack would want me to clarify this shadow on his character.

In light of the long shadow cast by Howard Hughes, the information available to the public in regard to Jack's business practices and legacy is foggy at best, and certainly Jack is no longer able to speak for himself. However the facts are revealed readily when one researches his remarkable legacy.

October 10, 1949
Newsweek

In Hollywood an oilman quipped: "When you see a group of movie people talking on the set you don't know whether they're discussing an oil well or a movie".

Oil was on Hollywood's mind. Moviedom's tax-bitten stars thought they had found a sure- or almost sure- way out of their troubles in the high tax brackets. If they struck oil they could deduct 50% to 75% of the drilling expenses from their income, and later deduct 27 1/2% of their annual gross from the well as "depletion." Moreover they could sell the well later and pay only a long-term capital gains (25%) tax on the profit. If the well was dry they could write off the whole cost as a loss, thus cut down taxable income. Though many a hopeful had hit nothing but sand and salt from Texas to Utah, last week a handful of luckier stars hit it rich!
Black Gold- near Wichita Falls, Texas Gene Autry's sixth well begun a fortnight ago had come in handsomely. The drillers had struck oil at 5,000 feet. The well gushed 1,200 barrels the first day and settled down to a tidy daily flow of 1,000 barrels. (Autry owns equal shares in the claim with two Texas Wildcatters.) Last week, drillers started a seventh well and planned to drill some 20 more on Autry's property.

Jimmy Stewart reported a steady 800 barrels a day from his Number-1 well, brought in at 4,180 feet near Vernal Utah, last fortnight. Stewart and his partners, (among them: Continental Airlines' President Robert Six; Howard Hughes's ubiquitous agent, Johnny Meyer; and General Aniline & Film's Chairman Jack Frye) -had risked $75,000.00 on a tip Meyer got from a geologist who had previously tipped Meyer and Frank Sinatra to another payoff site- (Sinatra's "Crooner Number 1" well in Wyoming).

Stardust in Texas' Scurry County on a 1,700-acre tract leased by Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, drillers brought in a 1,000-barrel well, their second in two months. Hope, Crosby, and their two Texas partners promptly begin drilling two more. Nearby, Don Ameche who had leased 21,600 acres with three Chicago partners had put up $200,000.00 to sink a wildcat. Just east of the small town of Rotan, Texas where he had leased 1,500 acres- Randolph Scott and his partner found oil sands at 5,700 feet, hoped to be producing "within three weeks".
Not all of Hollywood's wildcatters had been so lucky. Directors John Huston and Mervyn Le Roy, actor Dennis O'Keefe and several oilmen, recently sank $194,000.00 into a 10,500 foot dry well near Inglewood, California. Even those who had made strikes would not necessarily turn them into profits; they still had the problem of operating the well and marketing the oil. As one California oilman put it: "I can give you an oil well which is actually producing a good amount of oil, and bet you'll go broke if you don't know what you're doing. The stars....don't know about the business..."

That last statement is a broad assumption that certainly can't be applied to Jack Frye.
There are several attributes Jack possessed and executed well- building a national and international transportation dynasty, amazing business acumen, cattle ranching, oil wells, and making money........

My Brother Jack Frye

By Jack's sister, Ople (Sunny) Frye Thomas

In 1926, Jack formed the "Aero Corporation of California"- In 1927, he organized "Standard Airlines". He was president of both- In 1929, Jack arranged with Texas-Pacific Railway where they together formed the 1st, Coast to Coast air rail service- Same year- Jack established with Aeronautic Transport Corporation of Mexico, Interline Passenger Service between Standard routes and Mexico City.
In 1930, Jack merged Standard Air with Western Air Express, and was Vice President in Charge of Operations- Later that year, W.A. Express routes from San Francisco to Kansas City were merged with Transcontinental Air Transport-Maddux Airlines, to form (Transcontinental and Western Air) T.W.A. Jack was Vice President and Director in Charge of Operations.

Donald Douglas Sr. states that the most important letter he ever received was from my brother Jack, asking if he could build a plane with certain specifications, which turned out to be the famed "Grand Old Lady", the DC-1 and 2. In 1934, Jack became President of T.W.A.- Flying time had been reduced from 48 hours to 16 hours- He was a leader in the development of high altitude all weather flying equipment.

Jack and Howard Hughes developed the famed "Constellation" inaugurating 300 mile per hr. over-weather service coast-to-coast, and over the Atlantic. T.W.A, under Jack, was 1st to adopt de-icer systems, automatic pilot, air brakes, and anti-static radio direction finders- He was 1st to adopt "Air-Mass" theory of weather forecasting for airlines and to have pilots prepare written flight plans in advance of departure, and alternate plans for emergencies. During WWII, T.W.A. Stratoliners and other aircraft were operated for the air force in thousands of missions all over the world. Jack served the government in establishing Modification Centers, Training Schools for pilots, navigators and flight engineers, and performed a variety of special services for the Navy, Air Force, and the United States Government.

In 1947, Jack resigned from T.W.A. and became President, and Chairman of the Board of General Aniline and Film Corporation. He was there 8 years. Under Jack's direction was new Ansco Color Film, for professional motion pictures. A hot oil process, for vat dying of cottons, new camera models with superior lenses, shutters etc., new dyes, plastics, pharmaceutical PVP heat (blood plasma substitute), Gafite, a clear plastic material, tough, and highly heat resistant that promises better hoods for jet airplanes. When Jack took over the Presidency of General Aniline in 1947, the records of the previous year showed the company had done $67,813,000. in sales. In 1953, the company reached all-time-high sales of $109,000,000. In addition to serving on the Board, Jack was a director of the Electronatom Corporation, and Maryland Casualty Company. He was a "fellow" of the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences, and a Trustee, of the Southwest Research Institute, and Institute of Inventive Research. He was active in Civic, Welfare, and Philanthropic Organizations.

In 1946, Jack was awarded the "Medal of Merit" by the President of the United States for performing air transport service of vital importance during World War II. He was decorated by the Italian Government, receiving the "Grand Officer of the Crown of Italy", for assistance and re-establishing air service to replace war shattered transportation following WWII. Jack served with the Army Engineers, 1921-22. He was commissioned Lieutenant U.S.N.R. 1934, promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1940, honorably discharged in 1952. He had membership in the Army and Navy Club, Sleepy Hollow Country Club, Wings Club, Conquistadores del Cielo (founder).

My brother was killed February 3rd, 1959, in Tucson Arizona, hit by a car driven by a person who had drunk 4 beers and ran a red light. What a sad waste of talent! Jack was in Tucson working on a new type of plane at the time of his death. Please see this page on Sunny.

April 1962

A ceremony officially dedicating a T.W.A. facility, an 8-story-building, at 1307 Baltimore Avenue, Kansas City, MO., for the training of pilots, engineers, hostesses- was christened: the "Jack Frye Training Center". His daughter Lili Nevajac Frye unveiled the plaque which read:

Jack Frye
President of T.W.A.
1934-1947

"This Building Is Dedicated To Him As A Tribute
To His Leadership In The Worldwide Transportation Industry".

The main speaker of the ceremony was former U.S. President, Harry S. Truman- Chairmen of the Board were many, from Sears, Ford Motor Co., Shell Oil, to Airline Executives, Politicians etc., and Pilots. (per Sunny Frye Thomas)

The photo to the left says it all, Jack Frye standing
in front of a Northrop Gamma in uniform, exuding complete confidence with his trademark cigar. The personification of a real aviation legend.

(Jack served as a Lieutenant Commander A V (S) United States Naval Reserve, from 1934, discharged in 1952.) See this page.

To read the newest fascinating page with lost photos from this great man's personal collection click on:
"From Beyond The Grave".

"A Lonely Road in Arizona" is copyrighted and the exclusive property of the Sedona Legend Helen Frye Website.

All content and photos on this page are copyrighted and the exclusive original property of the Sedona Helen Frye Website.

To read the more information relating to the tragic death of this great man, please click here.

Click the following link, for a beautiful tribute that ran in Time Magazine, on February 16, 1959,
entitled simply: "The Man Who Would Fly".

To read Jack's biography, see "The Man, The Legend".

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