Curt Frye, 77, of Yankton, South Dakota, formerly of Wayne, died Tuesday May 13, 2025 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton.
A Celebration Of Life will be held at 4 p.m. Friday, June 27 at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Wayne with a reception immediately following.
Memorials can be made to Our Savior Lutheran Church and Wayne State College ( The Curt and Dianne Frye Annual Scholarship Fund)
Arrangements are with Hasemann Funeral Home of Wayne
On Sept. 14, 1947 Curtis D. Frye was born in Elk City, Nebraska, to parents Janet and Eugene Frye. He attended Elk City Schools. He credited his passion for education with his small school start: “I always wanted to be an educator. It started back in country school because when we got into the upper grades, we would help the younger children with their reading, math and science because there was one teacher and thirty-six children.”
He went to high school in Bennington, class of 1965. While there he played on the Legion Baseball team, coached by Bill Muller, (Dianne’s father). Curt and Dianne met in 1961. This coincidence led to dating for seven years and the two were married on June 1, 1968 at Zion Lutheran Church in Omaha. Curt and Dianne would have celebrated 58 years of marriage on June 1, 2025. Curt continued his education and graduated from Midland College in Fremont in 1969. With his degree in education, he sent out 60 applications for a teaching job and landed his first job at the Cody Kilgore Unified School District.
While in Cody he coached football, basketball, track, was the junior class sponsor and the Athletic Director. In his spare time, he also taught history. He was a successful coach and would often humble brag about coaching The Cody Kilgore Cowboys eight-man football team to undefeated seasons, four out of the five years he was there.
Curt’s next move was to Neligh/Oakdale Public Schools where he took a position as a High School Counselor and girls track coach. While there he also continued his education at Chadron State College and obtained his Master’s Degree in School Counseling in 1975.
After two years in Neligh and a fresh Master’s Degree, in 1976 he took a position at Wayne - Carroll High School as a counselor, freshman football coach and girl’s basketball coach. In the summers he worked for Wayne State College as a summer internship advisor.
After nine years at Wayne High, he started a new position at Wayne State College as Associate Dean of Students in 1985. Three years later he was named the Interim Dean of Students and in 1993 became the Vice President of Student Affairs. He served as Interim President from 2003-2004 and then retired from Wayne in 2009. In 2010 ,WSC charmed him back, and he returned for a second stint as Interim President. After a failed presidential search, the “Interim” was dropped, and in 2011 he was appointed the 12th president of Wayne State College and served until retiring again in 2015.
Curt enjoyed spending time at the lake, boating, fishing, socializing and telling limitless stories and jokes, a few of them funny. Curt also loved spending time with his grandchildren, Logan and Lincoln, and teaching them to water ski and fish, and the words to every Jimmy Buffet song.
Curt had a knack for talking to people and making them feel appreciated and cared for. He always wanted to recognize success in others. He enjoyed serving his community in Kiwanis and as president of the Wayne Economic Development Board. He was also inducted into the Wayne State College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017 for his support of WSC athletics during his time as president. His kind personal nature, leadership and undying belief in people leaves a lasting legacy.
Curt is survived by his wife, Dianne, and their two children, Corey Frye of Lesterville, South Dakota, and Kelli Rahn (Marc) of Sioux City, Iowa, and their two children Logan Rahn (Katelyn) of Woodbury, Minnesota, and Lincoln Rahn of Lincoln; his brother, Lee Frye, of Bennington and several nephews and nieces.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Janet Frye; and his little sister, Wanita, and his youngest brother, Marty.
