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Community Corner

Teacher Dexter Frye Made a Difference

Granada High School teacher and longtime Livermore man passes, leaving a legacy of what it means to be a teacher.

Dexter Frye , leaving a legacy that most teachers strive for their entire careers.

The popular honors world history teacher should have been preparing to start the school year. Instead, word went out on Thursday that he was found dead in his home, probably passing away a few days earlier on Aug. 14.

Response to the news was overwhelming for the man who accomplished one of the worthiest of goals: Getting love, respect and admiration from his students he motivated through the years he taught.

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In these days of social media, those who knew him immediately flocked to the newly created Facebook pages R.I.P. Mr. Frye and the closed group Mr. Frye Memorial.

At R.I.P, anyone could go on to read touching remembrances of Frye, including one from former student Amanda Sprinkles, who wrote about bringing a wilting rose to school one day. 

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“Without a word, Mr. Frye took it, cut the end of the stem and put it in his water bottle and gave it back. I’m leaving a new rose in front of his classroom and no, it shall not be moved.”

The outspoken Frye earned quite a reputation for his honest opinions and willingness to stand tall for what he believed. His door was always open to students, and he inspired many to pursue studies in political science and history.

And even just to realize their own untapped potential.

Lindsey DeLost noted she would always cherish what he wrote in her senior yearbook: “... don’t ever sell yourself short. You have a number of abilities you may not have yet discovered.”

She says that she’s always wondered what abilities he saw, “but knowing he saw something has stayed with me.”

Frye was a Livermore boy who never strayed far from his roots. He attended and graduated from Granada High School in 1967, where he served as student body president, before going on to college and eventually graduating from law school and passing the bar in 1975. 

He even practiced law in Livermore for years before making a career change to teacher.

“He said that he didn’t do well as a lawyer so he became a history teacher,” says former student Kensey Anderson, 19.

It was a decision destined to change lives.

Anderson says students liked his dry sense of humor and while he was a strict teacher, his wit and sarcasm made him a favorite.

“He would give you sort of a slap, but it was hilarious. It made you like him more,” Anderson says. “He would also randomly come up with these great stories from his past. And if you got him on a rant, you would have the most hilarious 45 minutes ever. He made you want to learn more.”

And she remembers Frye taking an unpopular stance at a school board meeting when she and other students tried to stop the district from changing from the block scheduling system to a trimester schedule. While the district still moved ahead to change the system, Anderson never forgot how he stood by them.

“He was one of the only teachers who came and spoke for us,” Anderson says.

Fellow Granada teacher Deb Bailey says Frye always made his opinions known at staff meetings.

“Most of us just wanted to get the meetings done, but he would play the devil’s advocate and say the hard stuff most of us wouldn’t,” Bailey says. “He was fearless. It’s not easy being fearless in these times, so I wonder who is going to pick up that torch.”

Frye didn’t appear to be the kind of guy students would gravitate toward. He donned his mock turtlenecks without regard to the heating or cooling of the weather and wore his cantankerous aura proudly.

But he connected.

“The kids just adored him for his ability to shoot straight and be honest,” Bailey says. “They would hang out with him in his room, and he would spend time talking to them.”

Sadly, those times have passed too quickly.

A memorial has been set up at Granada and this Friday will be renamed Fryeday and everyone is encouraged to wear a turtleneck.

And to remember a man who genuinely touched so many lives.

As Taylor McKenzie Thorne wrote on the R.I.P Facebook page:

“Over a thousand people liked this page in just 2 days since his passing. And these are only the people’s lives he touched who are on Facebook. It is truly remarkable the impact that a single teacher can have on so many people.

Well done, Frye. Well done.”

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