Frank King

Frank Stuart King passed peacefully into eternity on March 24, 2016 surrounded by his family. He was born in Danville September 15, 1936 to Mary James Gatewood King and Frank McGuire King.  He attended Forest Hills Elementary and enjoyed two senior years at George Washington High School in 1954 and 1955, proudly graduating in ‘55.  He developed a love of building as a child which carried him to study construction at Virginia Tech.  He cherished the years he helped his mother, build and run The Green Lantern in Tightsqueeze.   The results of his building career can be seen all over Virginia and North Carolina in malls, shopping centers and other commercial buildings. Most notably, he founded Crown Construction Management Services which he ran with his son Frank for many years, beautifying homes throughout Danville.  He was most proud of the homes he built himself with his own hands in Petersburg, Virginia Beach, and Danville.  He took great pride in a job well done and in living out the principles his mother and grandmother, Ella Margaret Coleman Gatewood taught him from an early age.  He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Judy Cross King.  Also survived by his son, Frank Stuart King, Jr.and wife Sara,  and daughter, Ella King Herlihy, and husband Steve, and their mother, Patsy Jones King; . stepdaughters Kristi McElheney Gilliam and husband Jeff , and Tiffany McElheney Lancaster and husband Todd.  He has a host of  grandchildren:  Massie Elizabeth Herlihy, Mary Stuart Herlihy, Tarpley Lanier Herlihy, Frederick McGuire Herlihy, Robert Hynes Herlihy, Kennedy Brett King, and Phoebe Stuart King, and step grandchildren Caroline Beatty Gilliam, Katherine Grace Gilliam, Christian Todd Lancaster, Andrew Walker Lancaster.  He is predeceased by  two grandchildren, Lauran Elizabeth Lancaster and Robert Fitzgerald Herlihy.    A man of deep abiding faith, he was an active member and former deacon of West Main Baptist Church since he was a young man.  He also loved the camaraderie of the NRA and the Sons of Confederate Veterans.  The family will receive friends at Townes Funeral Home on Saturday, March 26, 2016 from 4-6 pm.  Funeral services will be held at West Main Baptist Church at 2 pm on Easter Sunday, March 27, 2016. The interment will be private at Stokesland Cemetery, which he painstakingly maintained since 1980, recently with the help of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to West Main Baptist Church, 450 West Main Street, Danville, VA 24541 or Stokesland Cemetery c/o 300 Sycamore Circle, Danville, VA 24540.                Townes Funeral Home and Crematory, 215 West Main Street, is serving the King family.  Online condolences can be made at www.townesfuneralhome.com