Louie Franklin Elmore

Louie Franklin (“Frank”) Elmore lost his long and courageous battle with lung cancer on December 28, 2021. His wife, Lee Smith (“Lee”) Elmore, was by his side. December 28, 2021, was also the 45th anniversary of Lee and Frank’s marriage.

In addition to Lee, Frank is survived by their two daughters, Marguerite and Sara Lawton Elmore; his mother, Harriett Elmore; his three brothers, Mike (Debbie), Robbie, and Ken Elmore; and his two nephews, Baker and McCuen Elmore. Frank was predeceased by his father, Louie Elmore.

Frank was born in Florence, South Carolina, on July 20, 1951. His parents had married young, and Frank was their first child. Louie was so proud of his newborn son that he came by the hospital every day, picked up baby Frank and paraded him up and down the halls. Louie and Harriett later gave Frank his three brothers, but their pride in, and support of, their first born never dimmed.

Frank graduated from McClenaghan High School in Florence. In 1969, he became the first person in his family to attend college, enrolling in what would become Francis Marion University. While at Francis Marion, Frank was elected President of his Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior classes. In 1973, Frank served as President of the Francis Marion student body. Frank, who worked his way through college, was also active in Greek life, later returning to Francis Marion to organize a chapter of the Kappa Alpha fraternity.

Frank always found time to have some fun and college was no exception. One Francis Marion classmate recalled that Frank performed in a “junk band” at various athletic events. Frank, ever the percussionist, played the washtub.

Frank’s love for Francis Marion continued throughout his life. For the past two decades, Frank served as a Trustee of the University. Frank was also a member of the Francis Marion University Foundation Board. As President Fred Carter said, “Frank was an extraordinary Trustee and a very, very dear friend. I think Frank saw a little of himself in the kids that came through the school, and he worked tirelessly to grow, and better, the University.”

After graduating from Francis Marion, Frank attended law school at the University of South Carolina, where he met Lee, who was also a law student. Following law school, Frank and Lee married and moved back to Florence. There, Frank worked for the McGowan Law Firm. Frank later joined Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C., where he expanded his growing construction law practice.

As time passed, Frank became nationally known for his expertise in construction law. In 2003, he founded Elmore Goldsmith, P.A., in Greenville with Mason A. (“Andy”) Goldsmith, Jr. Today, the firm is known as Elmore, Goldsmith, Kelley, and deHoll, P.A.

For over four decades, Frank represented private and public owners, general contractors, subcontractors, sureties, and construction industry trade associations on a myriad of complex legal and risk management issues. He was also a member of the Advisory Board to the Clemson University School of Construction Management and Building Sciences and the past Chairman of the South Carolina Transportation Policy Research Council (now SCFOR). In recognition of his industry service, Frank was an inaugural inductee into the Carolinas AGC Hall of Fame in 2016.

Frank’s service to the legal community was likewise extensive. Frank was Chairman of both the Professional Responsibility Committee, as well as the Construction Law Section, of the South Carolina Bar Association. He was also active in the American Bar Association as a Governing Committee Member of the ABA Forum on Construction Law, among holding other positions.

Frank was highly respected and honored by his peers. He was a Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers, as well as a Member of its Board of Governors. Frank was also a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America and a Master in the Haynsworth-Perry Chapter of the American Inns of Court.

Frank was particularly interested in dispute resolution procedures. He was a Certified Mediator in the South Carolina state and federal courts. He also served on the National Construction Industry Panel of Arbitrators for the American Arbitration Association.

Andy Goldsmith Jr. summed up Frank’s exceptional legal career, with characteristic humor: Frank was a gifted trial attorney and problem solver who thrived on helping clients succeed. He brought a second-to-none professional effort to every client, case, mediation, and arbitration, earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues, and made countless friendships and connections along with way. Frank was an incredible mentor, friend, and law partner. We will miss his spark, great smile, and the fact that, to the best of his knowledge, Frank was never wrong.

In addition to being an exceptional lawyer, Frank was also an extraordinarily lucky guy. If you were playing Bingo, Frank always had the winning card. If you were drawing straws, Frank always drew the long one.

One story clearly illustrates Frank’s good luck. It was 2001, and Frank had committed to sell twenty $50 raffle tickets for a chance to win a Chevrolet Yukon to benefit Greenville High School. However, Lee’s mother was dying, so Frank told his assistant to put his name on all of the tickets and write a check for $1000 to Greenville High. Frank won that Yukon, as well as $10,000 for selling the winning ticket.

As to his assistant, Frank always said he was truly “lucky” to work with Sharon Brown for 38 years. No one meant more to Frank than Sharon in the practice of law. Sharon remembered Frank as “ever generous” and recalled the time he chartered a plane so he could attend the funeral of her grandfather.

Frank’s luck continued on the golf course. Frank was not an exceptional golfer but, for more than twenty years, he had the good fortune of playing with a group of real friends, some of whom he met while eating breakfast at the Waffle House. Frank introduced all of them to the “dot game,” which Frank played with gusto on the golf course.

Jim Boyd, one of these friends, reminisced that riding in a golf cart with Frank was always “risky.” Frank was so focused on his next shot that he would ignore the cart path and often missed a tree by “inches.” Jim laughed, “The word ‘duck’ was more important than the word ‘fore’ when Frank was driving the cart.”

Last summer, as Frank’s cancer progressed, these golfing buddies arranged a three-day golf outing at the beach to celebrate Frank’s 70th birthday. The day before Frank died, they played a round of golf for Frank. Frank “shot” a 40 on the front nine and a 42 on the back. These good men, along with Frank’s brothers, will serve as honorary pallbearers at Frank’s memorial service.

If you asked Frank, he would say, without hesitation, that the luckiest day of his life was the day he met Lee. He showed up, uninvited, to Lee’s 25th birthday party—bringing a half-eaten cake that read: “Good Luck, Frank.” He never left.

To Frank, Lee was the smartest, funniest, and prettiest girl in any room. Together, they raised two wonderful daughters, numerous dogs, several cats, and an entire family of raccoons that lived in the woods behind their house. Frank proudly supported Lee for over twenty years in her career as Executive Director of the Carolina Youth Symphony.

Frank was also a proud father to his girls. He attended every conference, every recital, and every graduation, often bringing flowers or a small gift. Frank was particularly proud that Marguerite graduated from Duke University and that Sara Lawton not only graduated from Presbyterian College but also earned two Master’s Degrees in Hospitality and Tourism Management and Event Management from the Rosen School of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida.

Frank’s sister-in-law, Marguerite Willis, remembered a trip to New York when Frank’s daughter, Marguerite, performed at Carnegie Hall. Marguerite, then a member of the Carolina Youth Symphony, played the triangle that day. At the end of the musical number, Frank turned to “Sis,” grinned broadly, and pronounced, “Virtually, a triangle solo.” Marguerite, like her father, was a percussionist.

Frank loved his wife and his daughters, and they loved him back. But that love was never stronger than in Frank’s final days. The way he battled cancer with dignity and determination, the gratitude he showed to his doctors and caregivers, and the time he spent, particularly at the end, telling others what they needed to hear—how proud he was of them, how much he admired them, and how blessed he was to know them—showed his family, in a light as if the doors of Heaven were opening, what a truly fine man Frank was.

As his oncologist wrote Lee after Frank’s passing, “Frank will never be forgotten by anyone fortunate enough to know him. He was the epitome of a fighter, and I will be forever changed by his desire for life and his unlimited generosity to others.”

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The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations in Frank’s memory can be made to Francis Marion University, the Carolina Youth Symphony, or Shriner’s Hospital for Children - Greenville. The celebration of Frank’s life will be Saturday, January 15th at 11:00 am at First Baptist Church Greenville in the Sanctuary. Visitation following the service.

Online condolences may be made at https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/a4Wg9LiH/frankelmore.