Warren Ballinger French Jr.

1923 - 2021

FRENCH, Warren Ballinger, Jr., 98, of Edinburg, Virginia, died Thursday, November 4, 2021 at

his home. Warren was born April 14, 1923 in Woodstock, the first of 10 children of the late Lena Belle Sheetz and Warren Ballinger French. He was predeceased by his wife, the former Patricia Hamill Teale, whom he married on September 17, 1949 in Silver Spring, Maryland. Pat and Warren, who were the parents of four children, were predeceased by their son, Warren B. French III, who died on April 19, 1981. Warren is survived by his three remaining children and their spouses, Anne F. Dalke and Jeffrey A. Dalke of Philadelphia and Edinburg, Cynthia F. Mullen and W. Grigg Mullen Jr. of Lexington and Christopher E. French and Rhonda H. French of Woodstock. Warren is also survived by his nine grandchildren and their seven spouses, eight great-grandchildren, a sister, three sisters-in-law, two brothers-in-law and many, many cousins, nieces and nephews. Warren was also preceded in death by five brothers and three sisters. Warren was active in the Virginia and national telecommunication industries, as well as in state politics. He graduated from Woodstock High School, Massanutten Military Academy and the University of Virginia. Serving as an ensign in the navy during World World II, he was assigned to the Pacific theater as executive officer and captain of several ships. After the war, he completed his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering at UVA and joined AT&T Long Lines as an engineer. In 1954, he became the General Manager of the Farmers Mutual Telephone System of Shenandoah County. He subsequently held the positions of Vice President and General Manager, President and General Manager, and President of Farmers Mutual and its successor organizations Shenandoah Telephone Company and Shenandoah Telecommunications Company. He oversaw the transformation of a rural party-line local telephone company into a modern and diversified regional telecommunications provider. He retired as President of Shenandoah Telecommunications Company in 1988 and as Chairman of its Board of Directors in 1995. During his professional career, he also served on the board of SouthernNet, Telecom*USA, Orion Network Systems, AvData Systems, Metrotel Services, First National Bank of Strasburg and First National Corporation. Warren was also active in state and national industry associations and organizations, representing the interests of small independent (non-Bell System) telephone companies. He served as President and a member of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Telephone Association, and served on the Board of Directors of the Organization for the Protection and Advancement of Small Telephone Companies (OPASTCO) and the United States Independent Telephone Association (USITA), serving the latter as Chairman in 1985. He was a Director and Vice Chairman of the National Exchange Carrier Association, serving from its founding in 1984 until his retirement in 1996. He was a member of the FCC's Network Reliability Council. He was appointed by President Reagan as a member of the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee. In 1988, he participated in the World Telecommunications Conference in Melbourne, Australia. In recognition of his career of service to the independent telephone industry, in 1988 he was awarded OPASTCO's President's Award and USITA's Distinguished Service Medallion. He was inducted into the Independent Telephone Pioneers Hall of Fame in 1993. Warren served as a Director of the University of Virginia Engineering Foundation and was appointed by Governors Holton and Godwin to serve as a Member of the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia from 1972 to 1980. Warren considered politics his primary hobby and was an active supporter of many local, state and national campaigns. He served as President of the Electoral College of Virginia in 1952. He was Seventh District Republican Party Chairman, a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1969 and Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia from 1970 to 1972. There will be a private graveside service, with interment in Massanutten Cemetery, Woodstock. Pallbearers will be Warren's grandchildren and their spouses. A public memorial service is planned for a later date. The family requests no online condolences. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Warren and Patricia French Family Fund, Shenandoah Community Foundation, P.O. Box 350, Strasburg, Va. 22657; for children's books to the Shenandoah County Library Foundation, 514 Stoney Creek Blvd., Edinburg, Va. 22824; to the Warren B French III Memorial Fund, Shenandoah Area Council-BSA, 107 Youth Development Court, Winchester, Va. 22602; or to the Woodstock United Methodist Church, 154 South Muhlenberg St., Woodstock, Va. 22664. Arrangements are in the care of Heishman Funeral Home, Inc., Valley Funeral Service Branch, in Bowmans Crossing.