Franklin Peter "Frank" Slavin Jr.

1942 - 2022

Franklin "Frank" Peter Slavin Jr.

November 22, 1942 - April 18, 2022

Franklin "Frank" Peter Slavin Jr. of North Chesterfield, Virginia, and formally of Rural Retreat, Virginia, passed away peacefully in his favorite chair on Monday, April 18, 2022.

Born on November 22, 1942, in Elmira, New York, to Frank, Sr. and Ida Slavin (nee Wittmer), Frank graduated from Horseheads High school in Horseheads, New York in 1960. He served in the United States Army from 1963 to 1966 before attending Western Connecticut State College (1966-1969) and Florida State University (1969-1970). He then became a police officer in the city of Holly Hill, Florida (1970-1972).

After receiving his law degree from Washington and Lee University Law School in 1975, Frank served as a law clerk in the Virginia Supreme Court. He moved to Wytheville in 1976, having accepted a position as associate attorney with Danny Bird. He went on to become a partner in the law firm of Bird and Slavin from 1978 until 1992, when he started the law firm of Wythe Lawyers. Frank continued in private practice there until 2007, when he became the Assistant Commonwealth Attorney in Wythe County.

Frank served as a substitute judge for the Virginia General District Courts, was Commissioner of Accounts for Wythe County (1986-2007), and County Attorney for both Wythe County (1994-2002) and Bland County (2004-2009) and served on the Wythe/Smith County Airport Commission (2003-2014). Upon retiring in 2011, he also worked part-time as a guardianship attorney for families with disabled individuals.

Frank was a member of St. John's Episcopal Church in Wytheville from 1976, until he and his wife Kathy moved to North Chesterfield in 2021. At St. John's, he served as a member of the vestry, was senior warden, lay reader, Eucharist minister, adult Sunday school teacher, usher, delegate to and teller at the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia convention, and member of the St. John's preschool board. He became a member of Manakin Episcopal Church in Midlothian, Virginia in November 2021 where he was a member of the men's group and a lay reader.

Frank was also an active member of the Wytheville Rotary Club, Rural Retreat Lions Club (where he served as president and chairman of the annual gun show), American Legion Post 229, Wilderness Road Muzzleloader Club, Rural Retreat Depot Foundation, Mountain Empire Pilots Association, Wythe County Relay for Life and Scoutmaster of Rural Retreat Boy Scout Troop 58.

Frank was a wonderful son, husband, father and grandfather. He was an only child and made sure he lived close to his parents, moving them to Rural Retreat to keep them supported and close to family. He never allowed his work or civic involvements to interfere with his family life. Frank supported his sons in everything they did and was always there to cheer them on. He was so proud of their accomplishments as children, teenagers, young adults and grown men. He adored his three grandsons and was happy to be living so close to August (age 10) and Silas (age 6). He made several trips to Germany to visit his 7-year-old grandson, Bastian. Frank also thought so much of his bonus granddaughter, Emma, who is best friends with August and Silas. He loved his wife Kathy so much, and never complained about having to take care of her during her cancer journey. Frank and Kathy loved to travel, cook together and just be there for each other. They would have celebrated their 44th anniversary on June 24 of this year.

Frank is survived by his wife Kathy of almost 44 years; his sons, Frank and Bill (Ashley); his grandsons, August, Silas, and Bastian; his bonus granddaughter, Emma Howard; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law David and Jan Ellis of Titusville, Florida; sister-in-law, Alice Ellis of Norfolk, Virginia; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Frank is also survived by his dear friends, Donna and Gershon Silber of Christiansburg, Virginia, and June Kerss of Wytheville, Virginia; and his special shooting buddies, Jack Gold, Tim Litz, Steve Hampton, Tom Ring, and Bill Grose.

Visitation will be held at St. John's Episcopal Church in Wytheville, Virginia, on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at 1 p.m., followed by memorial services at 2 p.m. The Reverend Michael Zumpf will be officiating. Interment will follow in the Memorial Garden at St. John's. A celebration of Frank's life will be held following the memorial service at the Rural Retreat Depot in Rural Retreat, Virginia from 4 until 6 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Rural Retreat Boy Scout Troop 58, P.O. Box 217, Rural Retreat, VA 24368, or Rural Retreat Depot Foundation, P.O. Box 843, Rural Retreat, VA 24368.

A second memorial service will be held at Manakin Episcopal Church in Midlothian, Virginia, at a later date.

Lindsey Funeral Home in Rural Retreat, Virginia is serving the Slavin family.

Lindsey Funeral Home

219 N Main St., Rural Retreat, VA 24368