Dr. Frampton was born in 1908 in Charleston, S.C., an eighth generation South Carolinian and the son of a highly regarded James Island cotton planter. He was a model initiate of Beta Gamma Chapter at the College of Charleston. Framp attended Presbyterian College where he was active in Beta Pi Chapter. He received his B.A. and Doctor of Divinity degrees from Presbyterian College and his B.D. from Columbia Theological Seminary.
Dr. Frampton served his fellow man as a pastor in the Presbyterian Church. His first call was in 1937. He served in more than 14 churches throughout South Carolina across a 60-year career. Beyond these churches, he was active, serving often as a supply pastor in various churches when needed.
He was the founder of the five Presbyterian Homes in South Carolina and served as president, chairman, and treasurer. At a reception honoring him on the occasion of his retirement, Framp remarked that “he’d had a long talk with the 'boss’ and decided that though he was retiring, he would still be active within the church.” He stated, “I’m not ready yet to move from sales to administration.” He continued to preach sermons as recent as this spring.
Dr. Frampton received the highest honor given by the governor of South Carolina, The Order of the Palmetto.
Framp was very active in Kappa Alpha and in interfraternity affairs. He served as Province Commander for Smith Province from 1942 to 1949. When the South Carolina chapters split to form Graves Province in 1950, he served as the first commander for the new province, serving until 1953. Framp was elected to the Executive Council in 1953 and finally as Knight Commander in 1957, serving two terms.
In 1956, Dr. Frampton was selected to be Kappa Alpha’s representative to the National Interfraternity Conference, a position he held until 1977. From 1969 to 1973, Dr. Frampton served on the NIC Board of Directors and in 1979 received the NIC Certificate of Appreciation for “outstanding achievement and service to the fraternity system.” In 1983, Kappa Alpha established a new award, Accolade for Interfraternity Service, and Dr. Frampton was one of the first two recipients.
Upon his “Kappa Alpha retirement” as Knight Commander in 1961, Framp agreed to continue serving the Order as our National Chaplain, the only person to serve the Order in this capacity. It was a tribute to the character and leadership of Dr. Frampton that his resignation as National Chaplain was refused by Knight Commander Cheney at the 56th Convention in 1975. Knight Commander Cheney’s wise decision was acknowledged and affirmed by the unanimous standing ovation of all the delegates in the hall.
A Kappa Alpha brother in a family of KAs, Dr. Frampton was raised with an understanding of the Order through his older cousin, William Ellis McLeod, a charter member of Beta Gamma Chapter at the College of Charleston in 1904. Framp’s older brother, Creighton, was initiated by Beta Gamma chapter in 1923 and transferred to Prebyterian College where he was active in the affairs of Beta Pi Chapter. Dr. Frampton’s son, Don is an initiate of Rho Chapter at the University of South Carolina, and served as National Undergraduate Vice-Chairman in 1973-74 and National Undergraduate Chairman in 1974-75. Don, continuing to follow in the footsteps of his father, is pastor at the St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church in New Orleans.
Dr. Frampton, still recognized as our National Chaplain, faithfully served the Order even through the last months of his life as he wrote a prayer, posted on the KA website, for our brothers and the troops in Iraq.
Framp’s love for his fellow man and his brothers in the Order was evident throughout his life. A fellow South Carolinian and Kappa Alpha wrote in 1906:
“The ideals that we hold up are not written to be read and admired; Not to be regarded as beautiful and high-sounding; But they are to be realized in your lives and perpetuated in your future conduct.”
He exemplified that statement in his work with the church and with Kappa Alpha. His love for and devotion to the Order was an inspiration for generations of Kappa Alpha brothers.
Now that his “Boss” has called him up to administration, he’ll be sorely missed.
