By Kayla Simons, FCHoF Student Fellow
Richard R. Frisbie made a lasting impact on the Citrus Industry magazine during his 30 years as a publisher. Frisbie was born in Tampa on February 18, 1924. His grandfather, Sayer L. Frisbie founded Citrus Industry magazine in 1920. Initially, the magazine was printed in Tampa and shipped to Bartow. In 1931, Sayer relocated the magazine operation to Bartow. Frisbie’s family also moved to Bartow at this time. His father, S. Lloyd Frisbie, started the Polk County Democrat weekly newspaper after the move. Frisbie received a homeschooled education until sixth grade, after which he transferred to education at public schools. He graduated high school from the Summerlin Institute in 1942, where he was class president and an all-conference athlete in baseball, basketball, and tennis.
Upon graduation, Frisbie attended Emory College for a year in Oxford, Georgia. After only a year at Emory, he decided to join the Army Air Corps as a pilot. Frisbie was stationed in British Guyana on a rescue mission to any troubled Allied air or watercraft. Shortly after the war ended in 1945, Frisbie was discharged and returned to Bartow. That same year, he married Mamie Nelle Odum; they had five children together. Following his return, Frisbie played semi-pro baseball in the Orange Belt League. During this time, a New York Giants scout offered him a tryout opportunity, which he turned down. Frisbie joined the National Guard in 1950 and became commander of the 149th Field Artillery Battalion, which consisted of the five National Guard Units in Polk County. He retired from this job in 1968. After his father passed away in 1964, Frisbie left his position at the Polk County Democrat and took over Associated Publications Corporation.
Throughout his time as the Citrus Industry publisher, Frisbie kept up with technological advances and modernized the articles to include things applicable and understandable to citrus growers. He even tried his luck at growing citrus in the late 1970s to better relate to the farmers. Frisbie also started the production of the annual industry directory called the Citrus Guide. In 1992, Frisbie assisted his daughter, Mariann Holland, in beginning the Citrus Expo. This event is Florida’s largest educational event for citrus farmers. Frisbie retired in 1993, and his daughter succeeded him as magazine editor. In 1995, he received Florida Southern College’s Citrus Club Man of the Year award. In 2001, his wife of 56 years, Mamie Nelle, passed away. In 2003, Frisbie married Ann Lipscomb Weld. They remained married until his death at the age of 92 on July 25, 2016.
Sources:
Neff, Ernie. “Profile: Richard Frisbie.” Citrus Industry, Vol. 81, No. 3, March 2000.
“Richard R. Frisbie Obituary.” Legacy. 2016. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/theledger/name/richard-frisbie-obituary?id=14947572
Richard Ronald Frisbie and Ann Lipscomb Weld, marriage license, December 5, 2003, file no. 2003244755, Polk County Clerk of Court and Comptroller.
