SUMMERTON - Edward Ronald Frye, Jr., 82, beloved husband of Nannette Benson Frye, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, March 26, 2026.
Born on April 3, 1943, in Charlotte, North Carolina, he was the son of the late Edward Ronald Frye, Sr. and the late Dorothy Etheridge Frye.
Ed is survived by his devoted wife, Nannette Benson Frye, who will forever cherish the more than 45 years they shared together. He leaves behind two daughters, Tiffany Lynn Wells (Melvin) of Simpsonville and Dr. Elizabeth Ann Azer (Dr. Nigel) of Alexandria, VA; sisters, Doris Hadley of Medford, OR and Susan Tevebaugh of Charlotte, NC; sister-in-law, Nancy Benson of Charleston; and brother-in-law, Paul Benson of Charleston and Missouri. Ed was a proud grandfather to seven grandchildren, Stockton Wells (Eva) of Simpsonville, Olivia Jirsak (Tim) of Munich, Germany, Pearl Azer of Cambridge, United Kingdom, Faith Azer of Santa Clarita, CA , Jesse Azer, Enoch Azer and Moses Azer, all of Alexandria, VA. He was also blessed with his first great-granddaughter, Beatrice Wells of Simpsonville. He is survived by niece, Chambers Holloway (Dan) of Simpsonville, their children, Eliana, Josias, and Mateo; niece, Amy Watson (Jes), and their children, Tristen and Jordan; and nephews, Matthew Stufflebean (Olivia), and their children, Simms and Willow of Charleston, and Andrew Stufflebean (Ryan) of Atlanta, GA.
In 1967, Ed received his bachelor’s degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He was ordered to report to Fort Jackson for U.S. Army basic training. The night before he was scheduled to report, however, he boarded a plane to Lackland Air Force Base to attend Air Force Officer Training School. He rose to the rank of Captain in the United States Air Force and served as a missile combat crew commander in Cheyenne, WY during the height of the Vietnam War, holding Top Secret ESI clearance.
Following his military service, Ed pursued postgraduate studies in Health Care Finance and Management at the University of South Carolina. He returned to Charlotte and entered a hospital administration residency program sponsored by The Duke Endowment. Eighteen months later, he accepted his first hospital leadership role as Administrator of Clarendon Memorial Hospital in Manning in 1973, at age 29, the youngest administrator in the state.
Ed served as hospital administrator in Chester and Gillette, WY before returning to Clarendon Memorial Hospital, where he served as Chief Executive Officer from 1989 until 2013. During his tenure, he oversaw the construction of a new hospital facility completed in 1993 and led the successful effort to raise more than $1 million to equip and furnish it. In 1999, he helped transform the town’s National Guard Armory into the Cypress Center, a community health and wellness facility, and also established a women’s and infant center. Mr. Frye was a board chair and active board member of the SC Office of Rural Health for more than 10 years. He also was the founding chair and driving force behind the Coastal Plains Rural Health Network which served Clarendon and the surrounding counties. He also served on the SC Hospital Association board and the HopeHealth board of directors.
Deeply committed to the health of his community, Ed helped attract patients from neighboring communities and worked to meet the needs of Clarendon County’s growing retiree population by assisting Clarendon Health System in opening four long-term care facilities. He also secured a grant from The Duke Endowment to place a full-time nurse in every public school in the county. When he learned that many eligible children were not enrolled in Medicaid, he launched an initiative offering $5 to every child who returned to school with a completed Medicaid application—resulting in approximately 1,500 children becoming eligible for coverage.
Ed championed numerous public health initiatives, including the Duke Endowment program “Smiles for a Lifetime,” which provided school-based dental care, as well as community outreach programs addressing diabetes, heart disease, and maternal and child health.
A passionate advocate for small rural hospitals, Ed dedicated his career to helping them thrive through innovation and community-focused care. He served on numerous boards and advisory groups, including Shared Services Healthcare, the Geriatric Best Practices Advisory Board, South Carolina Health Resources, the South Carolina Mental Health System, Manning Rotary Club, and the Bank of Clarendon. Many who worked with him described him as a visionary leader and a tireless voice for rural healthcare.
Among the many honors he received were Business Professional of the Year from the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce in 2001, the South Carolina Stewardship Award, the Community Service Award from the South Carolina Hospital Association, and the Gold Award from the American Federation of Advertising. He was also invited to attend the U.S. Army War College National Security Seminar. He was named a South Carolina Economic Development Ambassador by Governor Mark Sanford. Throughout his life, he participated in numerous civic initiatives and presentations, including speaking at the Governor’s Rural Summit on the economic impact of rural hospitals. He participated in a local Dancing with the Stars, raising significant funds for Habitat for Humanity and other organizations.
Outside of his professional life, Ed enjoyed hunting, travel, golf, and, most of all, spending time with his family. He was an avid fan of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks and enjoyed cheering them on, winning or losing, with family and friends. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church at Manning.
Ed Frye lived with a deep zest for life and an enduring optimism that tomorrow would always be brighter. His love of Jesus Christ assured him of an eternal future in heaven. He would want his family and friends to celebrate life fully—by working hard, serving others, and delighting in the gift of each new day.
A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at the Presbyterian Church at Manning with the Reverend Doctor Charles Jarred “J” Hammet, Jr. officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at the Manning Cemetery.
Visitation will be one hour prior to the service from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church at Manning and other times at the residence, 3775 Summerton Highway, Summerton.
The family appreciates the special care from Shirley Dubose and Terri Mills and the Amedisys Hospice team for their love and compassion.
In lieu of flowers, he would prefer donations to St. Joseph’s Indian School, www.stjo.org, or Disabled American Veterans, www.dav.org, or Presbyterian Church at Manning, P.O. Box 207, Manning, SC 29102, or a charity of your choice.
Stephens Funeral Home & Crematory, 304 N. Church Street, Manning, is in charge of arrangements, (803) 435-2179. www.stephensfuneralhome.org
