Francis Joseph Guscio Jr.

Francis “Frank” J. Guscio, Jr. passed away, peacefully, surrounded by family, on June 30, 2026, at the age of 86, from Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer. Frank was born in Richmond, Virginia, on September 4, 1939, to Eva Mae Morris Guscio and Francis J. Guscio, Sr. who both preceded him in death as did his sister Alice Ann Guscio and his brother, Don Guscio. Frank was a 1958 graduate of Marist College in Atlanta, Georgia and he attended Georgia Tech before serving in the U.S. Air Force where he was stationed in Majorca; Spain. Returning to Atlanta, he attended Oglethorpe University where he graduated Magne Cum Laude receiving a graduate assistantship to the University of Kentucky in a PhD program in Economics. He remained an avid Kentucky basketball fan. In 1970, he accepted a job on Hilton Head Island, SC with the Sea Pines Company working with subdivision plats, dwelling units and land density counts, beside founder, Charles Fraser. Completing his job with the Sea Pines Company, he opened and operated Beaufort Blueprint, later known as Imaging Services until his retirement in 2005. He created Property Research Holdings, Inc. in 1989, which became the successor in title to the bankrupt Hilton Head Company, Inc. and the Sea Pines Company, Inc. He divided that company and started the Forest Beach Association and along with several partners, also created White Hat Properties, Inc., all involving lands on Hilton Head Island, which was his hobby and passion. He subsequently became a historian for Hilton Head Island with knowledge of the lion’s share of land in the Island’s past. He was a Scout Leader and treasured the outdoors. 

He married his sweetheart, Jill Singletary Guscio and was married for 35 years. In retirement he began "Lighthouse Hunting", traveling with Jill in their small RV from the Atlantic, to the Pacific Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, Nova Scotia and hundreds of Lakes, visiting a total of 352 Lighthouses. He traveled to every State in the United States, on all the back roads less traveled and through forgotten small towns. Frank’s family is grateful for the assistance of Marisol Hospice, that made his end-of-life transition peaceful and to Chet Williams and Pat Horn for their friendship. Frank is survived by his daughter, Michele Guscio of Okatie, SC,; his son, Greg Guscio of Missoula, MT,; his son Cory Guscio (David & Brandon) of Clawson, MI,; stepdaughter, Kelly Byrd Wood of Hilton Head Island, SC; and stepson, Neil Byrd (Dale) of Gainesville, GA,; brothers-in-laws, Timmy Singletary of Columbia, SC and Lee Powers (Niki) of Phoenix, AZ; and grandchildren who affectingly called him Papa, Lizzie and Harper Crapse, of Oakie, SC,; Aviv and Geffen Guscio, of Missoula, MT,; Ethan (Madeline) and Austin Wood, of St. Petersburg, FL; and nephew Skylar Powers and niece Nicole Powers Ramirez (Frank) of Phoenix, AZ. He also leaves behind sister-in-law Babbie Guscio, niece, Tat, nephews, Will (Dorothy) and Jamie (Lori) Guscio, great nieces, Campbell, Lillie Ann, and Patterson Guscio and great nephews, Grant and Kaden Ramirez. 

A Celebration of Life will be held at 6:00 on July 11 at the Spanish Wells Club, 1 Brams Point, Hilton Head Island, SC. Frank will be interred in the Founders section of the Six Oaks Cemetery, Sea Pines Plantation, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the Guscio family invites you to honor Frank’s memory with a memorial gift to The Outside Foundation. Gifts may be mailed to 50 Shelter Cove Lane, Ste H, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 or made online at outsidefoundation.org .