Lexington Mayor Frank Friedman died July 2 surrounded by loved ones, said City Manager Tom Carroll in a press statement.
WDBJ7 reported that City Council canceled a meeting the night of Friedman’s death because of his sudden hospitalization. No information has been released about why he was hospitalized or the reason for his death.
According to Lexington’s city charter, the vice mayor “shall become or perform the duties of the mayor” if the mayor dies. Lexington’s vice mayor is currently Marylin Alexander.
Friedman was born in Blacksburg, according to the News-Gazette. He moved to Lexington while in elementary school and graduated from Lexington High School in 1984. Friedman is also a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College and the University of Virginia.
He worked in financial services for 38 years, according to the News-Gazette. Twenty-nine of those years were spent in Lexington, most recently at CornerStone Bank.
Friedman was first elected mayor in 2016. He was reelected twice in 2020 and 2024, both times with no opposition, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
He worked closely with staff and students on Washington and Lee University’s campus. As a part of the Post Election Reflection Town Hall in 2025, Friedman sat for a panel interview in Northen Library.
He is survived by his wife, Melissa Moran Friedman, who owns Clover Boutique. Frank and Melissa Friedman have a combined six children.
“Frank was a devoted public servant and a tireless advocate for all things Lexington,” said Jeremy Franklin, director of Main Street Lexington, in an Instagram post. “Please keep the Friedman family, including our dear friend Melissa at Clover, in your thoughts.”
Sheriff Tony McFaddin also expressed his condolences online.
“Frank was the kind of person who genuinely loved Lexington and the people who call it home,” McFaddin said in a Facebook post from the sheriff’s office. “He was a dedicated public servant, a respected leader, and, above all, a kind and compassionate man who always put others before himself.”
Carroll said it’s up to the Lexington community to carry on Frank Friedman’s legacy.
“As we all process this shattering news, I invite us all to honor Frank by trying to be a bit more like him even as we grieve,” Carroll said in his press statement. “Hug a loved one. Greet a stranger on Main Street with a hearty ‘Good morning’ or ‘Good afternoon.’ Offer grace to another person who is saying something you disagree with.”
