Dr. Claude Albee Frazier

Biltmore Forest - Dr. Claude Albee Frazier, 84, of 347 Vanderbilt Road, went to be with his Heavenly Father on March 4 after a brief illness. Dr. Frazier was born in Knoxville, Tennessee and was a native of West Virginia, a state he proudly claimed. He earned his B.S. in chemistry from West Virginia Institute of Technology, graduating cum laude. He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia and did his residency in Pediatrics at John Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland; Childrens Hospital, Columbus, Ohio; and Childrens Hospital, Washington, D.C. He received allergy training at Roosevelt Hospital in New York City. He was board-certified in both specialties. Dr. Frazier practiced medicine in Asheville for 50 years, serving on the staff of both St. Joseph Hospital and Memorial Mission Hospital. He was Diplomat of Allergy and served on several committees for both the American College of Allergist and the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology. He was past editor of the Allergy Section of the Southern Medical Association, a member of the Royal Society of Health, the American Medical Association, the North Carolina Medical Society, and the Buncombe County Medical Society. He served as Regional Consultant of the Childrens Hospital and Research Institute of Denver, Colorado. His work in the field of allergy is well-known nationwide. His own personal crusade, waged through his writings and public appearances, led the American Medical Association to draft a model bill to allow trained laymen, such as teachers, forest rangers, and emergency personel, to administer epinephrine injections to anyone suffering from an allergic reaction to an insect string. Over half of the states passed the legislation, saving the lives of many people. But the average person knew him as a physician who took a personal interest in their particular case. He had a gifted ability to diagnose the problem and prescribe needed treatment. When he found a patient depressed or in need of spiritual help, he was not embarrassed to pray with them. An author of over 30 books, his best known publication was Insect Allergy: Allergic and Toxic Reactions to Insects and Other Arthropods. A prolific writer, his books ranged from the field of medicine and history to tennis (a sport he dearly loved) and spiritual topics. But of all his achievements, the one in which the doctor found his greatest fulfillment and joy was in his work as a Christian layman. He is remembered for his many years as the religious book editor for the Asheville Citizen times and for the International Sunday School Lessons for this paper, the Waynesville Mountaineer, and the Ironton, Ohio Tribune. Over the years, he contributed a series of lessons for the Biblical Recorder, North Carolinas official Baptist journal. Using the means of radio and television, he was able to reach even a larger audience with the gospel. One of his most unique missions was called Scripture Taxi, which consisted of putting scripture tracts in the back of taxi cabs for the benefit and perusal of its passengers. The idea spread to quite a few cities in the southeast as well as other parts of the nation. He was a long-standing member and Life Deacon of the First Baptist Church in Asheville. One of his favorite memories was teaching a single professional mens Sunday School class at the home of the pastor to which a number of men from other churches attended. He was married in 1957 to Karen Bryson, formerly of Jackson County. An exceptional union, the two of them worked as a team, his wife devoting herself to assist him in all his many endeavors. Though a man of great accomplishments, he never failed to give credit to his faithful helpers and assistants for whom he was ever grateful. The doctor is survived by his wife of 48 years, Karen Bryson Frazier; his sister, Peggy Frazier of Lexington, Kentucky; nephew, David Henderson and his wife, Elin; daughter, Morgan of Betts, Oklahoma; and niece, Sarah Ryder and her husband, Jim and children, Meade and Sylvan of Lexington, Kentucky, his sister-in-law, Dawn Frazier of La Canada, California; niece, Heather Frazier Rogers and husband, Brian and daughter, Imogen of San Francisco, California; nephews, Douglas Frazier of Laguna Niguel, California and Donald Frazier of San Mateo, California. Preceded in death were his parents, Dr. Claude and Mrs. Nina Tony Frazier of Huntington, West Virginia and brother, Dr. Calvin Hunter Frazier of La Canada, California. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the main sanctuary of First Baptist Church with Dr. Guy Sayles, Dr. Cecil Sherman and Rev. Tom Stanley officiating. Burial will be at Calvary Churchyard, Fletcher, N.C. The family will receive friends from 1-2 p.m. Tuesday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church, 5 Oak Street, Asheville, N.C. 28801, for foreign or state missions or to Global Baptist Mission, P.O. Box 6068, Asheville, N.C. 28816. As an old preacher of last century has said about the death of a Christian, Some day you will hear I have died. Dont believe a word of it! At that moment I will be more alive than ever I was. I shall have gone up higher, that is all; out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal---a body that death cannot touch; that sin cannot taint; a body fashioned like unto His glorious body! Dr. Frazier would say the same. I was born of the flesh in 1920. I was born of the Spirit in 1932 when I accepted the call of Jesus, Come, follow Me. That which is born of the flesh may die, but that which is born of the Spirit will live forever.