Jerome Thomas "J.t." Frankenberger

1935 - 2019

Mr. Jerome Thomas 'J.T.' Frankenberger

Louisville - Mr. Jerome Thomas 'J.T.' Frankenberger, 83, from Louisville and longtime well-known attorney in Gainesville, Florida, died Friday, January 18, 2019 in the VNA Hospice House in Vero Beach. Florida. In his later years he suffered from dementia which was likely the result of years of playing football.

J.T. was born in Louisville, Kentucky on March 6, 1935 to Louis and Florence Frankenberger. He attended Flaget High School, where he played football alongside Heisman Trophy winner Paul Hornung and renowned football coach, Howard Schnellenberger. He then went on to play football at the University of Kentucky, under legendary head coach Paul 'Bear' Bryant and then Blanton Collier. During his senior year he was named an all-conference tackle, and received numerous other awards for scholarship and leadership.

J.T. was drafted by the Washington Redskins in 1957 and was shortly after traded to the New York Giants and played during the exhibition season under Coach Vince Lombardi. After being released from the Giants, he played for the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League and then later for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

After his football career came to an end, he graduated from the University of Louisville Law School in 1963 and began a long career as an attorney. His professional accomplishments were many, from beginning as a law clerk for the Kentucky Supreme Court to an assistant state attorney to an assistant attorney general for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He was Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky for a number of years. He moved to Florida in 1973, continuing in both private practice and as a city attorney for the cities of Vero Beach, Hallandale, and Hollywood, Florida. He moved to Gainesville in 1978, and was City Attorney until 1986. Mr. Frankenberger went back into private practice as a partner with the firm of Barton, Soraci, Frankenberger, Surrency and Turnage, where he practiced until retiring.

His professional associations were numerous, including member and former president of the University of Kentucky Alumni Letterpersons Association; lifetime member of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association, and member of the UK Athletic Board. He was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity, and served as an alumni advisor. He was past Florida chairman and regional vice-president of the National Institute of Municipal Law Offices; founding member, director and steering committee member of the Florida Municipal Attorneys Association and past chairman of the local government section of the Florida Bar Association; along with several committees in and around Alachua County.

J.T. had many well-developed interests. He was an excellent artist and also an accomplished actor, appearing in numerous amateur and professional stage plays, and one movie, 'The Great Race.'

J.T. was predeceased by his parents, and his older brother Donald Frankenberger.

He is survived by his daughter Sandra Lynn Frankenberger, of Gainesville; a son, Mark Corey (Alison) Frankenberger, of Vero Beach; and three grandchildren, Kiera Ogle, and Graham and Anna Frankenberger. He is also survived by seven nieces and nephews and cousin Denis Frankenberger of Louisville. In addition, he is survived by his former wife and mother of his children, Judyth Corey Dawson, with whom he maintained a close friendship.

A funeral mass will be celebrated Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 9 AM at Holy Faith Catholic Church, 747 NW 43rd Street, Gainesville, Florida 32607. The service will be followed by a reception at the church, then internment of the cremains at the Queen of Peace Catholic Church Columbarium. In lieu of floral memorials, the family would be grateful for donations to be made to Holy Faith Catholic Church in memory of J.T. Frankenberger. The donations will be used in the areas of greatest human need.