Robert Yost Frazier, 92, of Harrisonburg, passed on to the Lord Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008.
He was the son of the late Frank H. Frazier and Clara Yost Frazier. He grew up in St. Clairsville, Ohio, received his Civil Engineering degree from Ohio State University and was one of the oldest Professional Engineers in Ohio or Virginia still practicing his skills.
Bob grew up in rural Ohio helping his father, a surveyor of underground coal mines. At university, in the early 1930s, Ohio State's Civil Engineering students were steeped in the new technology of reinforced steel and concrete design. The application of these new materials allowed drastic improvements and changes in the architecture of buildings and the engineering of highways and bridges. Bob specialized in the field of concrete design and the engineering of materials used to make concrete: crushed stone and sand.
He was hired, immediately, by the Ohio Department of Highways in 1938. Later, at age 23, he was hired by Allied Chemical Co. to build and manage the asphalt plant in charge of paving the "Skyline Drive" being constructed by the CCC at that time. He relocated to Harrisonburg to construct this asphalt plant in the quarry of Mr. Fred K. Betts Jr. He and Mr. Betts developed a friendship of mutual respect and shared engineering skills. Mr. Betts introduced Bob Frazier to his daughter, Linda.
After completion of the Skyline Drive job, Bob was promoted to the corporate offices of Allied Chemical in New York City. He became engaged to Linda Betts, who attended college nearby in Princeton, N.J. With the prospect of worldwide conflict looming, Bob entered OCS with the U.S. Navy in the fall of 1941 and became an officer in the U.S. Navy submarine corps. In 1942, he married Linda Betts in a huge naval wedding at First Presbyterian Church in Harrisonburg. Soon afterward, he began active duty in submarines in the western Pacific from 1943 to 1945. During this time, he went on many submarine patrols against enemy ships and later on "lifeguard" duty for downed fliers during the bombing of the Japanese mainland.
After the armistice, Bob came home to Harrisonburg and started the Frazier Quarry in 1946. This was an exciting time in the growth of our nation and Harrisonburg, Va. A surge in and population expansion drove the need for a national interstate highway system, new factories, airports, and other construction. All of this new construction was designed with concrete as a prime design element. Bob Frazier started Betts and Frazier Concrete in 1953 to gear up for the demand for concrete that would one day reach the small town of Harrisonburg. Concurrently, he and like-minded businessmen came together to promote the economic development of our community through the Chamber of Commerce and the Rockingham Development Corporation. He was a past-President and active member of both organizations. During this time, the Harrisonburg Bypass was built (1958) and then expanded into Interstate 81. Factories like Walker Mfg., Electronic Specialties (later Dunham-Bush), Kawneer, AMP, and other companies built plants in our community. The Shenandoah Valley Regional airport, Blue Ridge Community College, and other major infrastructure projects happened at this time due to the efforts of Bob and many other business and civic leaders. Bob was one of the last of this prescient and dynamic group of Harrisonburg businessmen.
Within the crushed stone industry, Bob was instrumental in the development of VDOT stone specifications, production and quality control methods to make aggregates and sand for construction. Bob's influence on state and national stone specifications is a legacy that lives on today. His 1968 and 1977 plant designs for Frazier Quarry were revolutionary then and still in use today.
Personally, Bob was a quiet man of great dignity and personal character. His very profile and manner exuded confidence and demanded respect. A man of immense work ethic, he found great relaxation and pleasure in mowing his lawn and tending his pool. He loved to read and had a penchant for historical fiction from authors like Len Deighton, C.S. Forester, Kenneth Roberts, and Patrick O'Brian.
He was a lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church on Court Square, where he was an Elder and past Chair of Building Committee. He was one of the oldest members of the Harrisonburg Rotary Club. He knew Jesse Owens, of 1936 Olympics fame, at Ohio State and was a lifelong supporter of Ohio State athletics. The annual Ohio State/Michigan football game was always a tense but never-missed event. He also rarely missed the activities of his grandchildren. He would strive to attend football games, soccer matches, music recitals, choir concerts, and graduations. As both a role model and as a source of sage advice, his sons and grandchildren could always rely on "Pa-Pa."
In essence, Bob Frazier was a rock-solid gentleman of uncommon wisdom.
He is survived by two sons: Robert Betts Frazier and Bibb Yost Frazier; his daughters-in-law: Dolly Sease Frazier and Paula Knupp Frazier; nine grandchildren: Robert, David, Austin, Michael, Cy, Linda Macie, and Janie Frazier, Amanda and Simon Kyger. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Linda Betts Frazier, two infant sons, his sister, Joan Frazier, and his daughter-in-law, Carla Mumbert Frazier.
The family will receive friends between 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday at Kyger Funeral Home. A memorial service, conducted by Dr. John Sloop, will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 29, 2008, at First Presbyterian Church on Court Square in Harrisonburg. The family invites all to stay for a reception after the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church Building Fund, 17 N. Court Square, Harrisonburg, VA 22801.
LEAVE A MEMORY. If you have a memory of Bob's life that you would like to share, please take a couple of minutes to leave a phone message sharing your memory. The family has set up a special answering machine at (540) 437-9449 for this purpose.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.kygers.com.
