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Eastern Iowa’s Family Ballooning Connection |
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Buzzards Glory Balloon Company |
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Carol Frye |
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It is with a heavy heart I’m reporting the passing of Carol Frye, aka Hollywood Babe, half of the wonderful duo of “Big Dick and The Hollywood Babe”. Carol had a long love of life, a sense of adventure and an incredible warmth she shared with anyone she met. She surprised her husband, Dick with a balloon ride for their anniversary in July of 1984. They flew with Roger Bentley and her love affair with ballooning began. She and Dick crewed for Roger until 1994 when Roger had to retire his balloon. That didn’t end the affair. She and Dick started crewing for Peter and Susan that same year. In a way she came full circle with ballooning. She weathered the passing of Peter in 2003. Roger started flying with Susan in the Fall of 2003 when Peter was sick and continued to fly with Susan after Peter’s death. So, Carol ended up crewing for both Susan and Roger up until this year. Carol and Dick went to many competitions with Susan and Peter over the years: Monroe, WI, Battle Creek, MI, Rockford, IL, Freeport, IL, St. Louis, MO; Pendleton, OR and Amana, IA. I’m sure I’ve forgotten some of them. One of the most memorial trips was a cross country ballooning trek starting in Coos Bay, OR. Dick and Carol, along with Bob Porazil, helped Peter, Susan and Ed Heltshe (a balloonist from Pennsylvania) fly in stages across the US. Even though Carol was afraid of heights she was a passenger in the balloon over the mountains out of Park City, Utah. When we finally reached the Denver, CO area Carol’s job was calling and we had to put her on a plane back to Cedar Rapids. The journey to Coos Bay and back was an incredible experience. Carol’s joy and laughter was a big part of the trip. For me, personally, Carol was a sounding board. On days when I didn’t have a passenger and I had let my stress start to control me and I was about to take off from the launch site I would tell Carol to get in. I would vent…and I don’t mean pull the red line…and she would listen, not saying much and then we would laugh. She read me pretty well as she did other people. One of the endearing quotes of Carol’s happened with Peter. Carol, as Dick always said was a cheap date, it didn’t take very much alcohol to make her silly. One night after ballooning the four of us stayed after the rest of the crew left and Carol was drinking her second Margarita, which was a rarity. Carol was giggling and her eyes were shining. Peter looked at her and asked how she was feeling and she said “My nips are lum!”
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Carol’s enthusiasm was contagious. Here she sits on the balloon bag with the youngest crew member at the time—bringing a smile to Matthew’s face. Notice her Especially For You 2003 shirt. Carol’s battle was courageous and she always made us laugh during tough times. |
May 15, 1946—August 16, 2005 |
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Cheers to the Hollywood Babe! |
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We, and I mean all the Buzzards Glory crew, will miss her. She will be forever in our hearts. Susan Stamats and Mimi And all the other crew we’ve had over the years. I apologize if I’ve missed anyone. |