Frank Howard Capehart, III's Obituary
Frank H. Capehart, III, passed away Sunday, January 1, 2023, at St Mary's Hospital in Huntington, WV.Frank was born December 1, 1932, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Parkersburg, WV. Frank - "Sonny" to much of his family - was preceded in death by his parents, Janet and Frank H. Capehart, Jr., and two brothers, James and William. He is survived by his wife Linda, two sons Frank (Reva) and Curtis (Krista), and four grandchildren (Kaya, Gwyneth, Ainslee, and Kyle).
Frank was an alumnus of Point Pleasant High School (1950) and Furman University (1955). He also attended Rio Grande College and Marshall University for a time. He was a "three sport" athlete in high school and one of the earliest inductees into the Point Pleasant High School Athletic Hall of Fame. During college, Frank was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and captain of the ROTC pistol team, as well as executive officer of the cadet corps. He went on to serve in active duty in the U.S. Army (Airborne) as a first lieutenant after college until 1957 and in the Army Reserves until 1963. Frank was also a long-time member of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 625 since 1952.
An active participant in sports at many levels, lifetime Rotarian, devout United Methodist and layspeaker, he also served as a local sportswriter for the Point Pleasant Register and other local papers at various times throughout his life. While he generally focused on covering local athletics and athletes, he was also known for some informal editorials. Frank believed in community and served in many volunteer roles such as Mason County Fair president as well as WV State Fair president.
His true career was in education beginning in 1957, serving as a teacher, principal, and coach of many sports, such as basketball, baseball, football, golf and tennis, until he retired in 2006. Frank worked as educator or administrator in several WV counties but spent most of his life in Point Pleasant working with the people of Mason County. Frank believed that the most important aspect of sports, indeed all of education, was to help young folks become mentally strong and find their way to being a contributing part of their community.
Later in life, Frank's family owned and operated Hidden Valley Country Club in Mason County where Frank worked to promote his beliefs in youth and community in part by putting people above profit, establishing a local junior golf circuit, coaching, writing articles, and volunteering his remaining time to other local activities and groups.
At the request of the family, there will be no immediate services. Family is considering a remembrance later in 2023 in recognition of the number of lives that he touched over the decades and also working to identify a worthy place where donations may be sent in remembrance.
Hall Funeral Home & Crematory in Proctorville, OH is assisting the family. Condolences may be expressed at www.ehallfuneralhome.com
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