Dr. Ross L. Frazer, 75, of Homer City, went to be with the Lord, surrounded by family, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019, at Allegheny General Hospital.
Ross Lee Frazer, V.M.D., M.D., began life June 24, 1943, at home in East Brady, Pa., as the son of David George and Margaret Nancy Frazer. Throughout life Ross would often recall fond memories as a youth canoeing the Allegheny River in the Brady’s Bend area. As a young man, Ross was involved in Boy Scouts. He earned the Eagle Scout with Silver Palm, Explorer Silver Eagle, and was a Brotherhood Member of the Order of the Arrow. Ross was a member of the 1961 graduating class of East Brady High School.
In the summer of 1962, while visiting relatives in Homer City, Pa., Ross met his wife of 52 years, Melissa Ann Eppley at the Homer City Public Pool where she worked as a lifeguard. In August of 1965, Ross and Melissa were married at the Homer City United Methodist Church.
For those who knew him, Ross was an impressive man intellectually and passionate about education. In 1965, he graduated from Grove City College with a Bachelor of Science and went on to veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1969, he began practicing veterinary medicine and in 1971 returned to Homer City, Pa. with Melissa to establish his own practice, Frazer Veterinary Clinic. At the age of 36, married with a family of five children, he went back to school to pursue his medical degree. In 1986, after graduating from the Universidad Autonoma de Cuidad Juarez in Mexico and completing a three-year Temple University residency program at Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital in Johnstown, Pa., Ross renamed his practice to include both fields of medicine, Frazer Medical Group, Section of Veterinary Medicine and Frazer Medical Group, Section of Family Medicine. He was a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and a former Diplomat of the American Board of Family Practice. Ross practiced medicine a few months shy of 50 years as a veterinarian and 32 years as a family practitioner. Most of those years were spent in the Homer City area where he made lasting impressions on people in his community along the way through his kind and outgoing nature.
Along with practicing medicine, Ross also had a profound interest in building and design. In 1973, he founded a company, Ross Associates, specializing in western red cedar, post and beam, home construction. Throughout Western Pennsylvania there are a multitude of building projects he was part of designing and building. One of his last projects was a new state of the art veterinary clinic and hospital, and a new medical facility for his practice.
Throughout his life’s accomplishments, Ross may have been most passionate about his over 40 years of missions work to help spread the word of Jesus Christ. Most notably Ross donated his time and service in various areas of Ecuador, Honduras and South Dakota. He accomplished this by working with Christian organizations utilizing his gifts, practicing in both fields of medicine and multiple construction projects.
Ross was laid to rest at Bethel Church Cemetery in Indiana, Pa., alongside his wife Melissa who proceeded him in death. He was also proceeded in death by his parents.
He is survived by five children: Christin Frazer, of Indiana; Ross Frazer and wife Kelly, of McDonald; Amy DiStefano and husband Ben, of Fairview; Brian Frazer and wife Angela, of Homer City; and David Frazer and wife Miranda, of Ellwood City; a brother, David Frazer and wife Nancy, of Fairmont, W.Va.; a sister, Nancy Booth and husband Tom, of Bethel Park; 16 grandchildren: Abigail, Katelyn, Ethan, Allanna, Aviendha, Naomi, Anna Maria, Meghan, Samuel, Emma, Grace, Brady, Maria, Elizabeth, Sarah and Mary; and numerous nieces and nephews. His memory will live on in all who were positively impacted by his life fully lived.
Receiving of friends was held Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, and a private funeral service took place at Robinson-Lytle, Inc. in Indiana, Pa., on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, with Pastor Ben DiStefano officiating.
