Franklin was born on December 3, 1939, and grew up in Landis, North Carolina. He attended Landis High School.
He was drafted into the Army and served for two years, being honorably discharged in 1969. Franklin then worked for Linn Corriher Mills for about 15 years. Following this, he was employed by the city of Salisbury in the water treatment plant until his retirement.
In his personal time, Franklin enjoyed playing on his computer and loved driving around on his golf cart. His favorite pastime was attempting to fix things, even if they were not broken.
Franklin was preceded in death by his father, James Kelly, and his mother, Maudine Kelly. He is survived by his sister, Barbara Johnson, his niece, Kelly Robinson, and his nephew, Jeffrey Johnson.
The family would like to express their gratitude to his caregivers over the past several years: Ashley, Jessica, and Samantha.
