The Bullitt County History Museum

Jack Frick at 100

The following article by David Strange was originally published here on 19 Jun 2017.



Jack Frick

In 1917, one century ago, Woodrow Wilson was President; the U.S. entered WWI; the average income was $720; a new Chevrolet cost $419; a daily newspaper cost one cent; a movie ticket 15 cents.

And Jack Frick was born.

Jack (John Hershel) Frick, born on June 21, 1917, recently celebrated his 100th birthday with about three hundred friends and family members. Jack, it is said, is one of those rare people who has a photographic memory, so can't you imagine what memories there are from such an extraordinary century of living?

Jack, the son of Ben Frick and Laura Elizabeth Link Frick, was born in a farm house that later became the clubhouse of the Penn Run Golf Course. A charter family of St. Rita Catholic Church in Jefferson County, Jack's First Communion was held there in 1923.

In July 1923, the Frick family moved a little further down Christman Lane in Bullitt County to what is now known as the Summers/Christman cabin (see photos near the bottom of the page). It is a historic log house that I have written about before, and is currently being restored. The Fricks lived there until 1930.


Ben and Laura Frick

This is where Jack Frick's remarkable memory shines. Even though Jack was just a child, and at least 87 years have passed, Jack's eyes sparkle as he describes the "three-holer" outhouse "with a good, smooth, wooden seat," and three huge pecan trees that once stood nearby.

He smiles and his hands flex a little as he describes working his parents' dairy and truck farm on which they maintained 20 dairy cows and raised strawberries, corn, and ten acres of tomatoes. Jack chuckles with a little justifiable pride when he talks about still putting out 100 tomato plants just last year, "with the help of family." He quickly points out that he uses Better Boy plants now, and that one should "sprinkle sulfur in the hole when planting" to get the best tomatoes.

He remembers back 87 years ago on the family farm that "as many as fifty people would be picking strawberries in the fields, and the next day the family would be in Detroit to sell them."


Hebron School House in Bullitt County in 1924. Jack Frick is the boy in the second row from the front, 3rd child from the right.
He was in the 2nd grade. He notes that "my coat is buttoned crooked."

Back then, Jack attended the little Hebron School House from 1923 to 1931. He graduated Okolona High School in 1937 (northern Bullitt County children went to Okolona High School in Jefferson County in those days). That is where he met Nellie Hatter. Jack's eyes still glisten and he leans forward just a bit when he relates how he "fell madly in love, literally at first sight." Nellie Hatter Frick passed away about three years ago, after 72 years of marriage.

After graduating high school in 1937, Jack went to work with the phone company. In June, 1943, with WWII raging, he was drafted into the Army, serving in Germany and France. Because of his phone company experience, he worked with communications as a Tech Sergeant, mustering out in 1947 as a 1st Lieutenant. Jack tells me that he had actually been made a Captain, but the paperwork for that was never completed, so 1st Lieutenant it was.

The Korean Conflict broke out a few years later, and Jack returned to service from 1951 to 1953.


Frick Home

Shortly after that, Jack and Nellie bought one of the many new "fabricated housing" units being built at the time to accommodate the post-war family and prosperity boom. After 62 years, Jack still lives in this remarkable house where he and Nellie raised their family as their three children, eleven grandchildren, and 23 great grandchildren grew. He says thanks to the meticulousness of Nellie, the home remains in excellent condition, including the original varnished plywood walls. That fine little house itself is now a notable piece of 1950's architectural history.

Jack Frick is, as they say, "really something else." Genealogy researcher Barbara Bailey recently asked him about a family that he might have known back in the 1930's. Without a moment's hesitation, he replied, "Oh yes!," and went on to list in great detail who they had been related to and where they lived. One of Jack's grandsons reverently told me family stories such as how Jack, though a man of moderate income, had once paid for a neighborhood boy's first car, and how Jack had helped a person pay off a damaging credit card debt with just a promise that the money would be paid back. (It was.)

Such are the memories of an active and positive long life well lived. At a party celebrating Jack Frick's 100th birthday, over 300 people attended and rejoiced for having been part of the life of such a man. What could be a better legacy? Hopefully all will continue to remember. You can see in the sparkle in his eyes that he does.


Summers/Christman cabin, summer and winter.

Jack Frick Obituary

Frick, John Hershel “Jack”, 100, passed away peacefully on Friday February 23, 2018 surrounded by those he was most proud of – his loving family.

He was born in a farm house in Bullitt County, Kentucky on June 21, 1917, the youngest of 6 children, to Benard William and Laura Link Frick. He was a 1937 graduate of Okolona High School (now Southern High School). Upon graduation, Jack went to work for Southern Bell (now AT&T) when the country’s telephone and communications systems were in their infancy.

As a proud member of the “Greatest Generation”, his career was interrupted by war. Jack served in the United States Army as a 1st Lieutenant during World War II with tours in North Africa and Italy. A few years later, he was called again to serve in the Korean War. He was a veteran who was proud of his country and the victories that were achieved.

After returning home from war, he continued his career with South Central Bell and retired in 1977 after 40 years of service. Upon retirement, his love of real estate and people lead him to become the principal broker at his own firm, Jack Frick Real Estate, Inc.

Outside of his careers, he was a founding member of the Okolona High School Alumni Association and instrumental in creating the T.T. Knight Memorial Scholarship Fund at Western Kentucky University. He was an active member of St. Bartholomew Catholic Church for 63 years, where he served the Lord in many volunteer positions. In addition, he always maintained a garden big enough to feed his entire neighborhood.

With over 300 guests in attendance at his 100th birthday in June 2017, he shared his secrets to a long life: physical and spiritual health, job pride, taking care of mankind and a positive attitude. Always one to tell jokes, he added that genetics helped too. He will be greatly missed by all those he touched, helped, befriended and mentored over his 100 + years on Earth.

In addition to his parents and five siblings, he was preceded in death by the love of his life, his wife of 72 years, Nellie Hatter Frick. He is survived by his children, Dr. John “Jack” Frick (Pat), Kenneth W. Frick (Pam) and Kathy Jo Key (Buddy); daughter-in-law, Marie Papasadero (Otto); 11 grandchildren, Jeff Frick (Joy), Greg Frick, Chris Frick (Laura), Travis Frick (Stephanie), Lindsay Swearingen (Jason), Ashley Frick, Erin Singleton, Ben Frick (Jennifer), Taylor Phelps (Mike), Hunter Frick and Matt Frick; and 23 great grandchildren. A special thanks to Beverly Franklin, Delores Rodgers, Brenda Hodapp, Denise Twyman, as well as the excellent staff of the Nazareth Home for their love and compassionate care.

His funeral mass is 11am Thursday, March 1st, at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church, 2040 Buechel Bank Road with burial in Hebron Cemetery. Visitation is 2-8pm Wednesday, February 28th at Fern Creek Funeral Home, 5406 Bardstown Road.

Memorial gifts may be given to his church, St. Bartholomew.


Copyright 2017 by David Strange, Shepherdsville KY. All rights are reserved. No part of the content of this page may be included in any format in any place without the written permission of the copyright holder.


The Bullitt County History Museum, a service of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is located in the county courthouse at 300 South Buckman Street (Highway 61) in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. The museum, along with its research room, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday appointments are available by calling 502-921-0161 during our regular weekday hours. Admission is free. The museum, as part of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization and is classified as a 509(a)2 public charity. Contributions and bequests are deductible under section 2055, 2106, or 2522 of the Internal Revenue Code. Page last modified: 13 Jan 2024 . Page URL: bullittcountyhistory.org/memories/frick.html