Willard Lynn Frush

Willard Lynn Frush was born in Tranquility, Ohio, on June 25, 1929, and passed away peacefully on August 30, 2022, at the age of 93.  As a boy, he was active in FFA and assisted his father in the raising of Duroc hogs.  He won a trip to the International 4-H Conference in Chicago in 1946.  He attended one-room schoolhouses and during high school, he worked at S and M food market.  Willard graduated from Seaman High School in 1946. 

He attended Wilmington and at Morehead, he received a B.S. Degree in Education. He later attended Miami University where he received his Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and Counseling.  He taught school in Highland County for seven years.  In 1956, Will and Selma moved to West Carrollton, Ohio, and built a home on Skyview. Will worried about being able to make the mortgage payment of $88 a month.  It was at this time, that he began being called “Will.”   He was a successful teacher/counselor/principal in the West Carrollton School District and helped to implement the first year-round school in the state of Ohio. In the summertime when school was out, Will worked the 3rd shift as a night watchman for the downtown W.C. paper mill.  In 1981, he retired with 31 years of service and was always fondly remembered by his students.  

During his retirement years, Will enjoyed golfing, woodworking, and most importantly, being with his four grandchildren.  Family meant everything to Will and his grandchildren were his pride and joy. When Will was growing up, his only surviving grandparents were his maternal grandparents and they never had any toys in the house.  Will always made sure that his grandchildren had plenty of toys, things to explore, and lots of ice cream.   This attitude didn’t change when he was blessed with 5 great-grandchildren.  He loved their energy, their cuteness, and the way they said “Amen” right before eating dinner.  He always had a piece of candy to give them when they were leaving.   

Also, during their retirement, Willard and Selma obtained a license to sell real estate. They retired after 30 years of real estate sales.  The Frushes served as Grand Marshals of The Paper Festival. The Frushes were the recipients of a brick in the West Carrollton Plaza Hall of Fame for their contributions to the betterment of the city.   They were honored by the West Carrollton City Council designating a portion of Main Street, between Cedar Street and Pease Avenue as "Frush Way." 

Will was a 50-year member of the West Carrollton Lions Club.  He was active in the Ohio, national, and international Lions Club.  He served as the District 13 Ohio District Governor from 1990-91.  Will and Selma enjoyed attending many national and international Lions Club conventions. Being a District Governor meant Will would travel around to attend the different Lions Club meetings.  At one meeting, he was presented with a live pig and at another meeting, he was presented with a big, old, white, Tom Turkey.  The funny thing about Will that most people knew was he never ate any kind of fowl because when he was in college, he worked at a chicken farm cleaning out all the barns.  This tom turkey proved to be a lot of fun for the grandchildren until Will was able to find a good home at a local farm where he could live out his life.  

Will led a wonderful, adventuresome life and always had a joke or two to tell.  He was greatly loved by his students.  Former students would always stop to talk with him and always had a story to tell about being with Mr. Frush.  That always thrilled his heart to be remembered and made for happy memories as he got older.  Will’s philosophy on working with his students was if you take the time to listen and show you care; then the students would try and do their best for you.  

He was preceded in death: by his parents, Ollie and Amma Collins Frush; his sister and brother-in-law, Wilna and Ira Swearingen; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Bruce and Laura Stone Howard; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Gordon and Mary Howard and his beloved wife, Selma, who passed in 2015.  Will and Selma met in college and traveled life's pathways together for 67 years.  Will leaves to cherish his memory: his daughter and son-in-law, Diana (Stephan) Graham; four grandchildren - Chad (Crystal) Graham, Dr. Kassandra (Major Robert) Bond, Shaun (Dr. Jessica) Graham; Kyle (Brittany) Graham plus five great-grandchildren - Marissa, Caden (Chad's), Rachel, Gabriel (Kassi's), and Penelope (Kyle's); plus special friends - Jane Stone Gardina and Sue Carl, as well as other relatives and friends. 

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 10, 2022, at the St. Francis Episcopal Church, 225 Main St., Springboro, Ohio 45066 with Rev. Dr. David Bailey officiating. A Private Committal Service will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in West Carrollton at a later date. The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 9, 2022, at the Swart Funeral Home, West Carrollton, and from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (1 hour prior to service) at the church on Saturday.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Francis Episcopal Church Memorial Fund, 225 Main St., Springboro, Ohio 45066 in Mr. Frush’s memory. Envelopes are provided at the funeral home.

                   When you lose someone you love, 

                    we must learn, not to live without them, 

                    but to live with the love they left behind for us.

Please share memories and condolences at www.swartfuneralhome.com. Expressions of Sympathy, Love, and Thinking of You cards may be sent to The Family of Mr. Willard Frush, C/O Swart Funeral Home, 207 E. Central Ave., West Carrollton, Ohio 45449.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Willard Lynn Frush, please visit our floral store.