Douglas Kyle Frith

Douglas Kyle Frith, 82, of 1409 Whittle Road in Martinsville, died Sunday, October 6, 2013. He was a lifelong resident of Henry County, where he was born on September 2, 1931, to Jacob Ewell Frith and Sally Ada Nunn Frith. After graduating from Roanoke College in 1952, he served as an order of battle specialist in the U.S. Army, doing military intelligence work during the Korean War. He earned his law degree at Washington & Lee University in 1957 A member of the Virginia State Bar, he practiced law for 42 years before retiring in 1999. He had served as president of the Martinsville-Henry County Bar Association and state director of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association. He served as a substitute judge for the General District and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts of the 21st Judicial District for nine years. He was a widely respected and active practitioner of the law, and was admitted before all Courts of the Commonwealth, including the Supreme Court of Virginia. In addition, he practiced before the U. S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, the U. S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States. He was a member of First Baptist Church, where he served as a trustee and a deacon. Many public service contributions included serving as attorney for the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation, a volunteer for the Central Business District’s uptown renewal, and a board member of Virginia National Bank, now Bank of America. Further, he was a board member and president of the Patrick Henry Scholarship Foundation, and a long and active member of the Martinsville Kiwanis Club. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Ella Tuck Frith, and two brothers, James Burness Frith and Coy Bernard Frith. He is survived by his daughters, Margaret Frith Ringers of Tallahassee, FL, and Susan Elaine Frith, of Orlando, FL; four grandchildren, Madeline and Kyle Ringers, and Sarah and Alison Walker; and one brother, Floyd Earl Frith of Floyd, Virginia, and well as several nieces and nephews. The funeral service will be held Friday, October 11, at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Martinsville, with the Rev. John Fulcher and Dr. Dennis Knight officiating. The family will receive friends Thursday, October 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Martinsville and other times at the residence on Whittle Road. Interment will follow in Oakwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to First Baptist Church of Martinsville, 23 Starling Avenue, Martinsville, VA 24112. Arrangements are by McKee-Stone Funeral Home in Martinsville. To express condolences on line, please visit www.collinsmckeestonemartinsville.com.