House Resolution 86

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF WREN MCKINNON FRITH, AND EXPRESSING THE DEEPEST SYMPATHY OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS UPON HIS PASSING.

WHEREAS, Wren McKinnon Frith departed this earthly life on Sunday, August 30, 2009, at the age of 83, causing great sorrow and loss to his family and friends; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Frith was originally from Lyman, Mississippi, and a graduate of Lyman High School, Perkinston Junior College and the University of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, a World War II veteran, Mr. Frith flew 35 missions over Germany as a B-17 ball-turret gunner with the 388th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force, United States Army Air Forces, while stationed in Knettishall, England, and then continued serving his country as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the bureau's offices in New York, New York, and Newark, New Jersey; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Frith chose to set aside any personal preferences and career opportunities with the FBI, by changing professions and moving to Jackson, Mississippi, in 1955, so that his young family could enjoy the quality of life that could only be found in the South; and

WHEREAS, during his life, Mr. Frith capitalized on his love of knowledge and learning and on his ability to relate to others, always seeing the good in, and respecting the dignity of, his fellowman--natural gifts that were enhanced by his vibrant and outgoing personality; and

WHEREAS, these gifts served Mr. Frith well during his posts in Jackson, Mississippi, as the Operation Division Manager of Allstate Insurance Company, the owner of Frith Hardware and the Manager of Colonial Country Club, and when he returned to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 1972, as the General Manager of the Biloxi Holiday Inn; and

WHEREAS, instilled with a commitment to serve and promote his community, Mr. Frith served in many capacities of civic leadership on the Coast, most notably in the tourism industry, as evidenced by his serving as a past president of both the Gulf Coast Innkeepers Association and the Mississippi Hotel-Motel Association, a director of the Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo and a former member of American Legion Post 119; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Frith's lifelong love of music and exceptional singing talent created the coincidence that his first name was the same as that of a happy and energetic bird possessing an effervescent voice in his cheerful trilling songs--the wren; and

WHEREAS, his musical gifts were especially apparent to the members of the Bay Vista Baptist Church in Biloxi, Mississippi, where his faithful membership included his dedicated service in the choir and frequently being featured as the choir's soloist; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Frith was known to all whose lives intersected with his as a gregarious gentleman possessing a generous and loving spirit along with a good sense of humor, a man true to his word and a scholar of many subject matter areas and disciplines; and

WHEREAS, he was the beloved husband of Geraldee Tucker Frith, having joyfully shared his life with her for 62 happy and blessed years, and he was the proud and loving patriarch of a handsome family, including the following surviving members: son, Ronald McKinnon Frith, of Jackson, who is a staff attorney for this House of Representatives; son, Robert Harlan Frith, and his wife, Jennifer, who are missionaries in Montevideo, Uruguay; granddaughter, Bobbi, and her husband, Pablo Pereyra, along with their daughters, Sophia Isabelle and Gabriella Juliette; and granddaughter, Brandi, and her husband, John Carrano, along with their daughter, Anabelle Paige; and

WHEREAS, preceded in death by his father, Wren Frith, his mother, Mrs. Annie McKinnon Frith Daugherty, and his brother, William Herman Frith, Mr. Frith is also survived by his sister, Louise Frith McComb, and her husband, John; and

WHEREAS, this House of Representatives has directly benefited from Mr. Frith's legacy, in that his son, Ronny, has served the House as an exceptional and loyal attorney for over 32 years, gaining our respect during this time as he continually demonstrates that he is a friend and staunch proponent of the legislative process and its importance in a democratic system of government; and

WHEREAS, it is with sincere humility that we commend the life and accomplishments of an individual of Wren McKinnon Frith's caliber, whose life has inspired the lives of those fortunate to have known such a noble soul:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commemorate the life, legacy and accomplishments of Wren McKinnon Frith, and express our deepest sympathy to his family and friends upon his loss.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mrs. Geraldee T. Frith, Mr. Ronald M. Frith, Mr. Robert H. Frith and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.