Frank Harris Vest, Jr. (January 5, 1936 - April 5, 2008) was the eighth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia, serving from 1991 to 1998.

Early life and education

Vest was born in Roanoke, Virginia on January 5, 1936, the son of Frank Harris Vest and Viola Gray Woodson. He was educated at Blacksburg High School in Blacksburg, Virginia. He then studied at Roanoke College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1959. He also studied at the Virginia Theological Seminary from where he earned his

Master of Divinity For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and divi ...

in 1962. The same seminary awarded him an honorary

Doctor of Divinity A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ran ...

in 1985 and the University of the South awarded him a Doctor of Humane Letters in 1987. He was awarded another

by St Paul's College in 1991 and Roanoke College in 1998, respectively. He married Ann Jarvis on June 14, 1961, and together had three children, a daughter and two sons.

Ordained ministry

Vest was ordained deacon in June, 1962, and priest in June, 1963 by Bishop William Henry Marmion of Southwestern Virginia. In 1962 he became curate at St. John's Episcopal Church (Roanoke, Virginia), St John's Church in Roanoke, Virginia, while in 1964 he became rector of Grace Church in Radford, Virginia and chaplain at

Radford University Radford University is a public university in Radford, Virginia. It is one of the state's eight doctorate-granting public universities. Founded in 1910, Radford offers curricula for undergraduates in more than 100 fields, graduate programs inclu ...

. Between 1968 and 1973 he served as rector of Christ Church in Roanoke, Virginia. In 1973 he became rector of Christ Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he remained till 1985.

Bishop

Vest was elected Suffragan Bishop of North Carolina in 1985 and was consecrated on May 19, 1985, in the Duke Chapel,

Durham, North Carolina Durham ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Durham County, North Carolina, Durham County. Small portions of the city limits extend into Orange County, North Carolina, Orange County and Wake County, North Carol ...

, by Presiding Bishop

John Allin John Maury Allin (April 22, 1921 – March 6, 1998) was an American Episcopalian bishop who served as the 23rd Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church from 1974 to 1985. Early life Allin was born in Helena, Arkansas. He graduated from the Un ...

. In 1989 he was then elected Coadjutor Bishop of Southern Virginia, with the right of succession. He succeeded as diocesan bishop in 1991 and retired in 1998. He died on April 5, 2008, in

Lynchburg, Virginia Lynchburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. First settled in 1757 by ferry owner John Lynch (1740–1820), John Lynch, the city's populati ...

References

1936 births 2008 deaths Episcopal Church in North Carolina Episcopal Church in Virginia 20th-century American Episcopalians Episcopal bishops of Southern Virginia Episcopal bishops of North Carolina 20th-century American clergy {{US-Anglican-bishop-stub