Roy Elliott Fruit

Roy Elliott Fruit passed away on March 20, 2021. Roy was born to Winnie Clement Fruit and Charles Wesley Fruit on November 21, 1930 in Newton County, Georgia. He graduated from Commerce High School and attended the High Museum of Art and Georgia State University. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War and was assigned to the Second Infantry Division, heavy mortar company. He was a recipient of the Purple Heart for injuries received in battle.
He was a longtime member of Atlanta First United Methodist Church where he served as former president of the St. Andrew Class and member of the Administrative Board.
For forty years Roy owned a silk-screening company, Fru-Art Company, with his twin brother, Ray. He and his brother earned a reputation for honest and creative work.
He enjoyed coaching a women’s softball team, The Getz Ladies, which was nationally ranked for ten of its seventeen years. He lobbied for fair treatment of women in sports field and fought to gain proper recognition for them. In the mid 1960’s he built a regulation-size ball field on his property on Idlewood Road in Tucker, complete with a batting cage. He allowed many youth teams of friends to practice on what they affectionately named “Fruit Field”.
In his retirement years Roy enjoyed the company of many friends associated with the Senior Golf Association of Atlanta. He played Monday through Friday and enjoyed the outdoors immensely.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ruth, and his two daughters, Raylene Lowe and husband Steve, and Jeannine Kivi and husband Eric. He shall also be missed by his five grandchildren: Paul Lowe and wife Casey with great grandchildren Kaylee and Landon, Rachel Petrucelli and husband Eric, Laura Reid and husband Eric, with great grandchildren Ellis and Ansley, Christina Skeen and husband Geremy, and Emily Kivi.
Services will be held at A.S. Turner & Sons on North Decatur Road. Burial will be at Fellowship Cemetery in Tucker, Ga.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Military Order of the Purple Heart, P.O. Box 96188, Washington, D.C. 20077.