NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Neil Morgan remembers his friend and longtime colleague, Joe Frank, fondly.
Morgan, the former Newport News city manager, worked closely with Frank for decades, starting in the 1980s.
“No one ever doubted how much Joe loved Newport News," said Morgan, who now serves as the county administrator in York County, after working for the City of Newport News for nearly 30 years.
In a 2016 interview with 13News Now, Frank told us, “There’s just so much that goes into a year, much less in 14 years."
Frank became the first directly-elected mayor in Newport News in 1996 and would go on to be the city's longest-serving mayor.
He died Thursday at age 79.
The Newport News native served four terms from 1996 until his retirement in 2010. Before that, he spent several years as vice mayor.
“I've known Joe for almost 40 years," said current Newport News Mayor Dr. McKinley Price. "He is actually the reason I am mayor."
Price said Frank encouraged him to run, after making known his plans to retire in 2010. Price won the election and plans to step away from the mayoral seat after three terms, at the end of this year.
Price called Frank’s impact "generational" and evident across Newport News.
Frank was also a partner at the law firm David, Kamp & Frank.
In 2019, the city unveiled a plaque honoring Frank's service on the bridge over The Mariners' Lake on Warwick Boulevard. This past May, the Ferguson Center for the Arts named its atrium after Frank and his late wife, Jane Susan.
“You look at the City Center, the fountain, that was a vision of his and the city council at that time," said Price.
Morgan last had dinner with his old friend about three months ago. He said Frank had a genuine interest in finding ways to lead the community at a time of transformational change, and he valued working with people of all walks.
“He brought a lot of people together, and Newport News is a complex city to run," said Morgan. “He was our symbol. If you had a thing and you needed to figure out what to do about it, 'Go see Joe' was a very common thing.”
Morgan and Price said Newport News will benefit from Frank’s leadership for years to come.
“A life well lived," said Morgan.
To honor Frank, Mayor Price has ordered Newport News city flags to be lowered immediately and remain at half-staff until sunset on Monday, Oct. 31.