Mr. Lee Byron Fruchey, age 79, of Rickman, passed away December 27, 2016 at Cookeville Regional Medical Center. Private memorial services will be held at a later date.
   He was born August 29, 1937 in Beaverton, MI to the late Dewey W. and Wanda Gough Fruchey. Mr. Fruchey was a veteran having served as a paratrooper in the US Army.
   He was a former firefighter/paramedic in West Palm Beach, FL. After moving to Cookeville, he worked as a nursing assistant at Cookeville Regional Medical Center. He and his wife were the owners of Bargain Bookstore and Stained Glass prior to their retirement.
   He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Lana Herter Fruchey, whom he married October 14, 1976 in West Palm Beach, FL; three sons and daughters-in-law, Seth Eugene and April Fruchey of Rickman, Daniel and Tammie Collins of Rickman, Sean Collins of Cookeville; four daughters and sons-in-law, Debbie Therrin of Gallatin, Cheryl and Jeffery Butala of Lakeworth, FL, Sherri Bailey of Andrews, FL, Erin and Burt Montgomery of Cookeville; sister and brother-in-law, Beth and Steve Davidson of Okeechobee, FL; 21 grandchildren, Chris Fruchey, Jessica Zumstein, Amber Browning, Natalie Day-Cer-Dasmeer, Amy Brown, Brian Brown, Ronnie Brown, Andrew Bailey, Stenson Smith, Jenna Lovell, Dara Burgess, Zac Montgomery, Tiffany Rickert, Brandon Butala, Josh Collins, Kaylee Collins, Hailee Collins, Michael Collins, Dustin Collins, James Collins and Matthew Collins; and 15 great-grandchildren.
   Memorial contributions may be made to the Putnam County Fire Department, 700 County Services Drive, Cookeville, TN 38501.