Francis Fife, a true public servant, died this morning. He was 95. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Francis was a remarkable man with a remarkable record of service to the community, including eight years on City Council and a term as Mayor from 1972 to 1974. He was a founder of the Charlottesville Housing Foundation and served on the Board of Piedmont Housing Alliance from PHA’s inception until his resignation this past year for health reasons. He was also a founder and President of the Rivanna Trails Foundation, and he served on the Board of Advocates for a Sustainable Albemarle Population. He was mayor at the time of the vote to approve the Downtown Mall, though because he was a Vice President of what was then Virginia National Bank (now part of Bank of America), which had an office on the Downtown Mall, he recused himself. He was proud of an unpopular vote for scattered-site public housing. He was also proud to support the Ivy Creek Foundation, around the time that he was mayor.
He was a gentle, humble man who will be greatly missed.