A Gainesville lawyer, Frank Armstrong, who devoted countless hours to environmental causes and his church, has died.
Armstrong died Thursday at the age of 78,
He was a partner with Stewart, Melvin, and Frost until his retirement and has served as president of the Gainesville-Northeastern Bar Association and on the Fitness Board appointed by the Supreme Court of Georgia. In 2014 he received the Bar Association’s Kenyon Award recognizing his "professionalism, his integrity, his excellence in the law, and his dedication to the public good."
Armstrong was an active member of the Gainesville First United Methodist Church. He served as Chairman of the Board and in various other leadership positions. He consistently encouraged the church to adopt an environmental ethic. He believed that our planet is a sacred part of our religion.
Armstrong believed in life-long learning, serving others, and reverence for the earth and his life exemplified these things, according to his obituary. In 2002 he enrolled in a University of Georgia graduate program in Environmental Ethics.
He was a founding board member of Eagle Ranch and helped obtain the property where it is located. Founder Eddie Staub said, “His counsel in the early years set the direction and mission for many years to come.”
Armstrong's reverence for the earth was demonstrated by his planning of numerous Earth Day programs and his devotion to Elachee Nature Science Center. He served on the Elachee Board for thirty-five years, chaired capital campaigns, built trails, led hikes, presented astronomy programs. Elachee Director Andrea Timpone refers to him as “the godfather of Elachee.”
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, May 25, at 11:00 at the First United Methodist Church of Gainesville.
