The Late Lynn Fraker Made the Most of His Time at the Lake
Knowing he might not have long to do it, Lynn Fraker decided to make a difference when he moved to Lake Monticello three and a half years ago. Fraker, who died of cancer Dec. 27, ended up being the most valuable member of the Lake Monticello Rescue Squad, a valued member of the Fluvanna Leadership Development Program and a volunteer track coach at Fork Union Military Academy, among other things.
“We both thought retirement was not just a time to lay there,” said his wife of 40 years, Glynn Fraker, another regular volunteer at the Lake Monticello Fire Department and Rescue Squad. “We could do the things we wanted to do, that were of benefit. He wanted some meaning to that part of his life.”
“Lynn was an extremely dedicated volunteer,” said John Lye, chief of the Rescue Squad’s water unit. Fraker mostly volunteered for the hard-to-fill daytime shifts, and went out on 345 rescue calls in 2018 alone – more than 100 more than the next highest squad member — despite his cancer treatments.
Fraker’s efforts earned him the squad’s “Driver of the Year” award in 2017, and overall “Squad Member of the Year” in 2018.
“He was one of those people who never did anything halfway,” Lye said. “If he was going to do something, he was going to do it ‘right.’” After volunteering as a driver for a while, Fraker decided he wanted additional certifications, Lye said, taking the Emergency First Responder certification class, and planning to become an EMT before his health issues made that impossible. Fraker was noted by Squad members for mentoring younger members, his quiet leadership, and the snacks and meals he bought out of his pocket to lift morale.
Fraker got his start volunteering in Fluvanna via the Fluvanna Leadership Development Program, Glynn Fraker said. The program, among other things, introduced him to the Rescue Squad. Upon graduating, he immediately joined the FLDP steering committee and “was the driving force behind revitalizing the format for the Emergency Service Session,” said FLDP co-Chair Rudy Garcia. “His understanding of their needs and the people involved were instrumental in making that session much more relevant to the program.”
Lynn and Glynn loved the Lake, she said. She had lived in Farmville and Lynchburg, and because of his health they wanted to be near UVA Hospital. They also had a daughter in Fork Union and another nearby. “We looked at lake and just loved the area,” Glynn said. “We could just feel the sense of community here from the very beginning.”
Before moving to the Lake, Fraker was a 22-year Army veteran a retired Army Corps of Engineers major. After his military retirement, he used his Masters in Contracts Management from Penn State in civilian employment with Scirex (clinical drug trial agency) and Church Housing Corp., which provides low income housing for the elderly and disabled.
In addition to his wife Glynn, Fraker is survived by his daughters, Shannon Shelburne (Matthew) and Devon Gatewood (Roger); his grandchildren, Natalie, Molly, and Carl Shelburne, and his sister Martha Kersh.
A wake and memorial, including a Final Call Ceremony, will be held 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, in the Maplewood Room at the Lake Monticello Volunteer Fire & Rescue Squad, 10 Slice Road, Palmyra.