Frank Love Jr.

Frank Love, Jr., age 89, civic-minded senior partner with Powell, Goldstein, Frazier and Murphy LLP, passed away on January 24, 2017 in Atlanta, GA. Frank was a loving father and good friend to many. He had a quick wit and a joyful soul, and always loved a good story with a pipe and a cocktail. He was a true Southern Gentleman and a joy to be around (unless you were on the opposite side of the bench from him!). His family and many friends will sorely miss him. He was born July 20, 1927 in Montgomery, WV, to Frank Love Sr., a successful attorney in Fayetteville, WV, and Thelma Russell Love, a concert pianist and soloist. Frank grew up in Fayetteville, until his senior year of high school when he left to attend Greenbriar Military School in Lewisburg, WV, which he graduated from in 1945. Frank briefly served in the Navy and was honorably discharged shortly after the end of the WWII in 1946. He followed in his father and grandfather’s footsteps by studying law. He attended Washington and Lee University, where he was the president of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, and graduated with his LLB in 1951. Influenced by his mother’s mastery of music, Frank played cornet from an early age. He played in dance bands starting in high school and eventually led his own band, Frank Love and His Hungry Five, during his college years. His band was well known on college campuses based on numerous appearances at fraternity and sorority house parties. After graduating from law school, Frank moved to Atlanta to join the firm of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy. He practiced with that firm until he retired in 1998, and continued to have an office with the firm until his death. During his career at Powell Goldstein, he served on the governing board, was chairman of various committees, and was chairman of the litigation department. He was an active trial lawyer, and was acknowledged as such by various legal organizations. He served as President of the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association in 1974 and 75. In 1972 he was admitted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and subsequently served for several years as chairman of a standing committee of the College. After serving for 10 years on the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia, he was elected President of the State Bar, and served in 1983 and 84. During his term as President, the State Bar Board of Governors enacted mandatory continuing education for lawyers, created the Georgia Bar Foundation, and enacted funding for the foundation by passing a program of interest on lawyers’ trust accounts, accomplishments for which he was justifiably proud. He later served as the first President of the Georgia Bar Foundation. In 1990 he received both the Tradition of Excellence Award from the General Practice Section and the Distinguished Service Award from the State Bar of Georgia. The Lawyers Foundation of Georgia honored Frank as the first recipient of the Distinguished Fellows Award in 2006. He was recognized for his support of the legal profession, the State Bar of Georgia, and the Lawyers Foundation of Georgia. Those who follow in his footsteps at the Lawyers Foundation of Georgia and the State Bar of Georgia will always appreciate his contributions. Outside of his profession, Frank was active in the Republican Party in Georgia, serving as Chairman of the Fifth Congressional District for two terms, as member of the State Committee, and as Presidential Elector for the second terms of Ronald Reagan. In civil affairs, he and his wife Libby served as Co-Presidents of two PTAs, and Board of Visitors of Rabun Gap Nacoochee School. He was founder and first President of the Sandy Springs Community Association, and was an active member of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Frank married Elizabeth Drum (“Libby”) in 1954 and they spent 58 happy years together until she predeceased him in 2012. Frank and Libby and their children, Cindy and Chip, enjoyed touring the country to attend legal conferences, fishing from their houseboat on Lake Hartwell, and family golf outings. Always an avid golfer, Frank was a long-time member of both Cherokee Country Club and Peachtree Golf Club, where he was a member for over 60 years and served on the Board of the club. He is survived by his daughter, Cynthia Love Jernigan (“Cindy”) (Dr. Ben W, Jernigan, Jr.) of Atlanta and their two children, Elizabeth “Lizzy” and Ben III; and son, Frank “Chip” Love, III (Amrita), and their two sons of Fairfax, VA, Shiv and Neal; his sisters-in-law Rosemary Drum Lewis, and Elaine Drum Vandeman; a niece Nancy Lewis Denham; and six nephews, Ken, Scott and Jeff Lewis, and Jim, Dave and Steve Drum. He is also survived by his loving companion late in life, Ms. Ellen Southworth. A memorial service will be held at St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church, on Saturday, February 4, 2017 at 2:00 PM. The family will receive friends immediately following the service at Peachtree Golf Club. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Dean Frank Gilliam Memorial Fund of Washington and Lee University or the Georgia Legal Services Foundation.