Clyde Frizell, 92, of Greenfield
February 12, 1931 — February 8, 2024
Clyde Frizell, 92, of Greenfield
A Joint Family Visitation for brothers, Clyde and Larry Frizell will be held on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at the Lamb Funeral Home in Greenfield from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Lamb Funeral Home in Greenfield is in charge of the professional arrangements. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lambfuneralhomes.com.
Memorials: May be made to the family to be established at a later date.
Clyde Richard Frizell was born on 12 February 1931. He passed away at the Greenfield Rehabilitation & Health Care Center in Greenfield, 8 February, 2024.
Clyde was born in rural Greenfield, the third child of Elmer and Gladys (Gile) Frizell and joined 2 brothers at home. Two more brothers and one sister followed his birth, prompting plenty of his tongue-in-cheek observations on the woes of being a middle child; and being unable to get his own birthday as he was born the same day as Clare. He went to country school through 8th grade then entered Greenfield High School the first year they implemented school buses, graduating with the Class of 1949. He worked on the family farm until he was drafted into the Army in 1952.
The Korean War was going on, so after basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, he was sent to Ft. Riley for infantry training and then was shipped to Japan from Ft. Lewis. He went to Japan for medic training but amazingly never used it and was sent to the motor pool instead. After the war ended, Clyde returned home to the farm, but only briefly.
The Korean War was going on, so after basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, he was sent to Ft. Riley for infantry training and then was shipped to Japan from Ft. Lewis. He went to Japan for medic training but amazingly never used it and was sent to the motor pool instead. After the war ended, Clyde returned home to the farm, but only briefly.
In 1956, Clyde went to U. S. Trade Schools, Inc. in Kansas City,
MO for diesel mechanic training, but didn’t finish. He instead went to work. Some jobs included working for Charlie Grant's crew sealing coated roads in Iowa often staying in places he generally referred to as “bat hotels”; McDonnell Aircraft Corporation in St. Louis; and Fisher Body Plant in Raytown, MO.
He came back to Greenfield and bought into Lahey Implement to form Lahey-Frizell Implement with Jim Lahey. In 1965, his brother Ivan came back to Greenfield, and they formed Greenfield Honda. Small motorcycles were soon seen and heard buzzing around Greenfield. One of those riders was Dick Van Dyke, in town filming “Cold Turkey,” who bought a motorcycle to keep up with all the kids on cycles. Greenfield Honda was a very successful business, as Ivan and Clyde caught baby boomers at the beginning of their cycle riding careers, taking them from trail bikes on up to Gold Wings and bigger.
Clyde and Ivan closed the business in 1996, and Clyde then devoted himself to full-time farming. He and his brother Keith
also found time to take many road trips to tractor auctions and shows around the state. It was nothing to travel to Albert City, MN with Keith just to look at farm equipment.
Clyde had an amazing memory for family history, was an extremely
talented mechanic, and was a great uncle to his nieces and nephews. He was the “go-to guy” for knowledge and history of Adair County and for anything mechanical.
He is survived by one sister, Mary McInroy of Iowa City: a sister-in-law, Isolde Frizell of Greenfield, and his nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Keith, Clare, Ivan, Larry, infant Dallas, and sister-in-law Pearl.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Clyde Frizell, 92, of Greenfield, please visit our flower store.
Past Services
Family Receiving Friends
Saturday, March 23, 2024
3:00 - 6:00 pm (Central time)
Lamb Funeral Home - Greenfield
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