Harold Franks

FRANKS, HAROLD Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 pm, Friday,
September 14, 2012 at LaGrone Funeral Chapel for Harold Franks, age 102,
who passed away on September 7, 2012. Interment will follow services at
South Park Cemetery.

Harold Houston Franks was born November 3, 1909 in Taylor, Arkansas to William Thomas Franks and Drucilla Talley Franks. Harold spent a lot of his growingup years in Sawyer, OK. After his father died, the family moved to Sulpher Springs, TX and later on to Portales, N.M.

In the 1930s, Harold joined the CCCs Civilian Conservation Corps, where he became a mess sergeant, managing food service for the camp. He worked in camps located in the Sandia and Sacramento mountains of N.M. After leaving the CCCs in 1937, he went to work in Roswell for Clardys Dairy as a delivery man. In Roswell he attended a dance where he met his future wife. He and Dorothy Phillips were married on May 28, 1939 in Roswell. They were married for 66 years before Dorothys death in February 2006.

In the 1940s, he was given a deferment during WWII. He worked at the Roswell Army Airfield later Walker Air Force Base making wooden test parts for the development of bombs and airplanes. He was trained in blueprint reading, then used those skills to create wooden samples from blueprints sent by the Army. He also repaired the wooden airplane trainers. This is where he learned his lifetime trade and become a soughtafter finish carpenter.

While working in construction, he was employed by Burkstaller Construction and Brackeen Construction. He also worked at Hettinga Brothers lumber yard and later at Pecos Valley Houston Home Center. He did not fully retire until age 78 years.

He had been a member of the First Baptist Church in Roswell since the early 1940s. He joined the BPOE Elks Lodge 969 in the 1947, had held offices and was a life member.

Harold was a very jovial person, often smiling and laughing. He enjoyed music, dancing, and going to the mountains for picnics. He loved to sing his old songs.

He was preceded in death by his parents his wife, Dorothy by his brothers Thomas Buddy, Johnny, N.B., William, and twins Roy Joy by his sisters
Ida King and Vera Minor.

Harold is survived by one son: Philip Edward Franks and his wife Fritzi of Gladwyne, PA two daughters: Linda Caren Britton and her husband Dale of Peabody, KS, and Debra Ellen Franks of Roswell.

He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, including one nephew named for him Donald Houston Franks and his wife Bobbie of Ft. Sumner, NM.

He had five grandchildren: Jason Franks and his wife Tracy of Chappaqua, NY Jennifer Franks Baker and her husband Chuck of Malvern, PA Janet Ledbetter of Newton, KA Cheri Britton Hopson and her husband Darren of Strong City, KS Paul Britton and his wife Kerry of Halstead, KS.

Additional family include: Four stepgrandchildren, 15 greatgrandchildren and 9 greatgreat grandchildren.

Service

Cemetery