Titlow Jr., Franklin Henry

Franklin Henry Titlow Jr., of Blacksburg, died Friday, January 11, 2013. He was born on December 25, 1916, in Philadelphia, Pa. to the late Franklin Henry Titlow and Helen Grant Titlow. He was preceded in death by his wife of 47 years, Elizabeth McGhee Titlow, brother, David G. Titlow and stepson, Clyde Gillespie.

His survivors include his son, Franklin Budd Titlow (Debby), of Tallahassee, Fla.; his daughter, Margaret Titlow James (Kent), of Hilton Head, S.C.; his stepson, Gene C. Gillespie (Barbara), of Saluda, Va.; eight grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.

He was a graduate of the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri. He worked for the Philadelphia Record and Suburban Papers following his Navy service. He became editor of Workboat Magazine, a national trade publication for the waterways transportation industry. He was a retired Lieutenant Commander in the Navy and served on a sub chaser in World War II, participating in the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, and Southern France. He was a member of the Military Officers of America as well as a member of Scouts and Raiders, a forerunner of the Navy Seals.

Mr. Titlow purchased the Montgomery News Messenger from Harwell Darby in 1948 in Christiansburg, Va. The paper’s plant at that time was in the basement of the Mensh Building beside the Town Hall. He started with a basic printing operation that included a “Country Campbell Press”, a single linotype and “handset” type. He gradually added more modern equipment, including photo reproduction facilities and a Goss web perfecting newspaper press. In 1960 he changed the entire printing operation over to offset lithography. This was one of the first newspapers in Virginia to change to offset lithography and the very first to have a Vanguard web perfecting offset press. The paper received a William S. Copeland honorable mention award.

He was a member of Sigma Delta Chi Honorary Journalism Fraternity. An interesting result of the Montgomery News Messenger’s change to offset lithography was that another publisher purchased a similar fairchild press and started publishing a daily Roanoke newspaper using the new method. It was called the Roanoke Star and lasted only a few months. Years later the Roanoke Times changed to offset lithography. Mr. Titlow, also, published the Blacksburg Messenger which was later sold to the Blacksburg Sun, The Radford Messenger which was later sold to the Radford News Journal and the Vinton Messenger. In 1963 he sold the Montgomery News Messenger to Wayne Brockenbrough. Following the sale, Titlow worked for two years as an Associate Editor for the Agricultural Extension Service at Virginia Tech.

He later became a real estate appraiser. He was a life time member of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers. Mr. Titlow was one of the early presidents of the Christiansburg Chamber of Commerce. He had been a member of the University Club since 1948. He was a member of the Hokie Club. He was a member of the Christ Episcopal Church in Blacksburg.

Special thanks to our dear Diane Cumbee who truly blessed our father’s life by giving him such loving care and support for his last seven years. Riverview Nursing Home provided a happy home for him in his last years.

Funeral services will be conducted Monday, January 14, 2013 at 1 p.m. in the Christ Episcopal Church, with the Rev. Scott West officiating. Private burial will follow in the Westview Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Christ Episcopal Church, Capitol Campaign, PO Box 164, Blacksburg, VA 24063 or the Humane Society of Montgomery County, PO Box 287, Blacksburg, VA 24063.

Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg.