Virgil “Bud” Walter Francis III, founder of Francis Communications (asi/197620) in Nashville, passed away Dec. 12. He was 81.

Born in Atlanta, Francis grew up in Nashville and received his degree in electrical engineering from Vanderbilt University in 1960. He relocated with his wife, Carole Ann (Hooper) Francis, to Chicago, where he was employed in quality control for submarine torpedoes at the naval base in Forest Park, IL.

Francis earned his MBA from the University of Chicago in 1963 and moved back to Nashville the same year, where he began his career with Francis and Lusky Inc., his family’s printing and advertising company founded in 1919. He served as chairman of the board for the Printing Industry Association of the South (PIAS) from 1989 to 1990 and was the PIAS Man of the Year in 1992.

In 1993, Francis founded Francis Communications Inc. (FCI Promos Inc.) and Arena Imprints Inc. in 1995.

He’s a founder of the Business Leadership Council of Nashville, and he served on the Board of Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN, and the Young Republicans Club. He was also involved in his church and a member of the Rotary Club, and he enjoyed tennis, boating, fishing, dancing and golf.

“He was a mentor to many, a devout Christian and bible study enthusiast,” said the family in a statement. “Bud was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, cousin, neighbor, colleague and friend.”

In addition to his wife of almost 60 years, Francis is survived by children Kirk (Tracy), Bruce (Shelly) and Laura Francis-Thorp (Clay); and grandchildren Hampton, William, Olivia, Abigail, Nathan, Ava, Daniel, Hope, Hannah, Josiah and Coleman. He was preceded in death by his parents, Virgil Walter Francis Jr. and Frances Thornton Francis, and his brother Stephen Thornton Francis.

A memorial service was held at Brook Hollow Baptist Church in Nashville on Dec. 21, with interment at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens after a private ceremony. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation, the Lewy Body Dementia Association or Stephens Valley Church in Nashville.