With a heavy heart, I must share the news of the passing of our friend, colleague and mentor, A. Frazier Christy, PE/PLS. We will always be grateful for Frazier’s service to his profession as a great engineering leader. We offer his wife, Lowell and their daughter Courtney and family our deepest condolences. May he Rest in Peace, and may God’s eternal light shine upon him.
Arthur Frazier Christy – 1945 – 2019
Arthur Frazier Christy, known to everyone as Frazier, passed away at home on December 20, 2019 at the age of 74. Frazier was born September 7, 1945 in Mobile, Alabama, the son of Howard Beverly Christy, Sr. and Evelyn Frazier Christy. He graduated from Auburn University in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. Afterward, he joined the United States Navy, graduating in the top of his class from the Mine Warfare School. He was assigned as the Engineering Officer to the USS Jacana MSC-193. After the Jacana was decommissioned, he volunteered for duty with the Seabees, the U.S. Naval Construction Forces, and was transferred to the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion 4 where he served in Danang, Vietnam, and Port Hueneme, California. Frazier returned to Alabama as a design engineer with Rust Engineering in Birmingham, then joined Paragon Engineering in 1971, eventually becoming President. In 2007, Paragon was acquired by Hatch Mott MacDonald, and he continued to serve the company as a Sub-division Manager, Division Manager, and In-house Consultant until his retirement in 2012. After his retirement, Frazier formed the E&LS Group, where he focused on smaller civil engineering projects, served as City Engineer for Indian Springs Village, and helped Camp McDowell with sustainable energy projects. Throughout his almost 50 years as a practicing engineer, Frazier had a role in designing numerous civic projects that brought economic development to Alabama and provided for a better quality of life for its citizens. A registered engineer in several states, his work focused on civil projects involving large scale grading operations, highways, stormwater handling, sewage collection and treatment, along with surveying mapping and control. Frazier was a Fellow in the American Council of Engineering Companies, served on the National ACEC Budget Committee as a member and chairman, and also served as the president of ACEC/Alabama. He is a Life Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and was inducted into the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in 2016. He was also twice elected Chairman of the ACEC Collation of Professional Surveyors and has served on the Board of Directors for the Alabama Society of Land Surveyors. In 2013, he was appointed to the Alabama State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Frazier was committed to enhancing engineering education through the support of The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Engineering. He was an Adjunct Professor and served on the school’s Advisory Board. He also served as Chair of the UAB Engineering Foundation, and continued his support by teaching courses in UAB’s Continuing Education Series for Professional Engineers. Frazier is survived by his wife of 48 years, Lowell Kappel Christy; his daughter, Courtney Christy Kelly; son-in-law, Justin Howe Kelly; grandchildren, Everett Frazier Kelly and Margaret Virginia Kelly; brother, Howard Beverly Christy, Jr. (Lyn Ramsey): nephews, Arthur Thomas Kappel, III (Megan) and Preston Blair Kappel (Kortney) and great nieces and nephews, Savannah, Shephard, Saddler, Claire, Art and Connor; brother-in-law, Arthur Thomas Kappel, Jr. (Jan Mullins). A memorial service will be held at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, 2017 6th Ave N, Birmingham, Alabama 35203 on Monday, December 23, 2019 at 3:00. Visitation will precede the service at 2:00 in Clingman Commons, adjacent to the Nave. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be directed to Camp McDowell, 105 Delong Road, Nauvoo, AL 35578, which was a major focus of Frazier’s engineering activities over recent years.
