Frank Harlan Hambright Jr.

Harlan Hambright

Frank Harlan Hambright Jr., 74, a legendary St. Simons Island character, has passed into eternity. He died peacefully at home on Sept. 23, 2025 after a long battle with cancer. Friends and family will remember him as kind and generous, talented, hilarious and a servant of his community.

Born in Atlanta, his parents were transferred to Knoxville, Tennessee, where he grew up. He attended Young High School and graduated from the University of Tennessee School of Architecture. Developing an interest in photography, he was on staff for the Daily Beacon photographing sports events and other activities at the university.

He spent a few months in Italy in Civita di Bagnio-Reggio with fellow architecture students, where he created a photo essay that was just published in 2021. During the summers, he worked and lived in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, at Hunter Hills Theatre, an outdoor venue that presented musicals. His friends from that era are still in touch.

Upon graduation, he combined architecture and photography and moved to Washington, D.C. There, he opened a photography business and using available technology, he was a pioneer in the development of what he called InSite Photography. Much of his work was for the government and took him all over the world.

Realizing that it might be safer than Capitol Hill, he sold the business and moved his family to St. Simons Island, where he had spent some time working in an internship with classmate Tom Rule for Lamar Webb during his college days. A true Renaissance man, he continued to reinvent himself through different businesses, always self-employed. From the dark room to the digital world of photography, he was always looking out for the latest innovation. Printing for artists, publishing and writing for the "Weekend" newspaper, creating funny T-shirts, graphic design of brochures and logos for businesses, scanning and printing from historic negatives, rendering of architectural plans, 3D tours for real estate, flying drones and helping others with anything technical were just a few of the things he was able to do in addition to professional photography. He published four books - Coast Cottages, The Cloister, The Idiat and the Odd-yssey, and Roma 1971. His photographs appear in restaurants (Delaney's), in books and magazines - Palace of State (photos of the Old Executive Office), The Family of Woman, Montgomery C. Meigs and the building of the National Capital, Architectural Digest, Historic Brunswick Homes and many others too numerous to mention.

He opened "Brunswick Stewdio," - Brunswick's first art co-op and gallery. Inheriting a love of good food and cooking skills from his mother, he won first place in the Shrimp and Grits Festival Amateur Cooking Contest in 2011, then in 2012, second place. In 2013, he was a judge. He and Dr. Irwin Berman were long-time friends and collaborated on many art projects including a patent on a chair that they donated to SCAD in Savannah. He and Berman and Ed Cheshire won third place with an outdoor bathroom design in New York City.

During his four-year term on the school board, he introduced computers into the learning environment. He was chairman for a couple of years, part of two superintendent searches, an attempted book banning and led a meeting of an auditorium full of disgruntled teachers.

His piano technician father led the way for the family in music. An excellent bass, he was in musicals and a madrigal group in high school. He sang with New Renaissance and wore tights as part of his costume (all the guys did). He was "Aeneas" in the opera "Dido and Aeneas." He sang in Christ Church Choir, Wesley Church Choir and St. Simons Presbyterian Chancel Choir. The music person at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Brunswick, he redesigned that building for their worship space. He played mandolin, guitar and piano. He took piano and guitar lessons, but was self-taught on everything else, including playing timpani for the Messiah presentation each year, bouzouki in the Irish band, Malarkey, banjitar for an Island Players production, and played in SSPC's Bluegrass Band. His foray into the composition of songs left everyone shocked and bent over with laughter and his joke telling skills were unparalleled.

He served on several other boards - Habitat for Humanity, Building and Marketing for Wesley Church, Coastal Symphony of Georgia and was a member of the Mozart Society.

Prior to his death, he joined the local Sons of the American Revolution. He was proud that his ancestor Col. Frederick Hambright was a militia leader at the Battle of King's Mountain, a heritage he shares with his wife and her ancestor John Hoyle.

He liked to "poke" people on Facebook for entertainment purposes. "Why can't we all get along?" was a frequent statement of his. A crossword and Scrabble enthusiast, he loved plays on words. "Visualize Whirled Peas" was one of his favorite T-shirts. In his memory, the family asks that you practice random acts of kindness and get those important medical tests.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Hazel Hambright; and a stepson, Ben Gossett.

He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Rhonda; a son, Hank (Lindsay Pennington) Hambright and granddaughter, Lilith, of Athens; and stepson, Joe Gossett of Ellijay; sisters, Holly Hambright, Kyle (Phil) Cook and Peg (Scott Carpenter) Hambright, all of Knoxville; and former wife, Kathleen Hambright of St. Simons Island; in addition to cousins, several nieces, a nephew and grand-nephews.

A memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. Nov. 15, 2025, at St. Simons Presbyterian Church and live streamed on sspres.org.

Flowers are welcomed, however, you may wish to contribute to FaithWorks - P. O. Box 2902, Brunswick, GA 31521; Habitat for Humanity of Glynn County - P. O. Box 296, Brunswick, GA 31521, or St. Simons Presbyterian Church Music Fund in his memory.

Family-placed obituary

The Brunswick News, October 24, 2025