Hilda Franklin, of Haltom City, Texas, passed away March 30, 2018. She was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, and a woman who was devoted to her Christian faith. She was the youngest child born to Bessie (nee Jones) and Joseph E. Johnson on July 10, 1938 in Mount Vernon, Texas.
Hilda went to primary school in Mount Vernon and attended all of their high school reunions. Although she did not finish high school with her first-grade class, they considered her an honorary member. She was always fond of telling the story of “Dandy” Don Meredith teasing her that she had beaten him out of the honor of the title of 8th grade salutatorian. She graduated high school from Crozier Technical High School in Dallas, Texas, in 1956.
The family moved to Dallas, Texas, after her father passed away, and that is where she met the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Franklin in 1955. They were married in 1956 and shared a long, loving, and lasting partnership that lasted 62 and half years. After Bob’s tour with the U.S. Army was over, they settled in Fort Worth, Texas, and started their family to whom she gave her whole, generous, and loving heart. Hilda joined the Order of the Eastern Star and made many lifetime friendships where she also served as a sponsor to the Rainbow Girls, where she shaped the lives of many young ladies. She also joined Riverside Methodist Church (Faith UMC), where she faithfully served as church Treasurer and in many other capacities. Hilda found the most joy in her life when she was serving others, and she taught that lesson to her children, whom she loved and adored.
Hilda worked as a bookkeeper, accountant, and secretary at Lubrication Engineers and Burton Brothers. She retired from the Davis Electric Company. She was exceedingly clever with numbers and could remember any telephone number that you told her for years afterward. She was admired, respected, and loved by all who worked with her, making many friends along the way.
She loved to play dominoes, Sequence, Yahtzee, and Words With Friends. She also enjoyed going on trips with the OES, her family when they were younger, her daughter, and especially with her husband. She hated sleeping alone, so on nights when Bob was at the firehall, she always invited one of her nieces to stay the night, or she had a friend sleep over with her, all the way up until Bob retired.
She lived a life of Love and Service. She will be missed.
Hilda is survived by her husband, Robert (Bob) Franklin; daughter, Virginia (Ginger) Vigmostad and her husband Tobias; son, Travis Franklin and his wife DeeDee; granddaughters, Kimberly Franklin, Amy Franklin, and two great grandchildren, Kyan and Briella Harris; and her brother, Archie Johnson. Special ones: Madison, Mason, and Miles McCune, and Alden Thompson, and a great number of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Hilda is preceded in death by her son, Calvin Randall Franklin of Fort Worth, Texas; her parents, Bessie Jones Johnson, of Fort Worth, and Joseph E. Johnson, of Mount Vernon, Texas; her brothers Gale Johnson, of Fort Worth; Billie Joe Johnson, of Dallas, Texas; and Fred Johnson, of Lancaster, Texas; and her half-siblings Paul Skidmore and Lucille Johnson, both of Fort Worth; and Mildred Collins, of Lancaster, Texas.
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Hilda Franklin, of Haltom City, Texas, passed away March 30, 2018. She was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, and a woman who was devoted to her Christian faith. She was the youngest child born to Bessie (nee Jones) and Joseph E. Johnson on July 10, 1938 in Mount Vernon, Texas.
Hilda went to primary school in Mount Vernon and attended all of their high school reunions. Although she did not finish high school with her first-grade class, they considered her an honorary member. She was always fond of telling the story of “Dandy” Don Meredith teasing her that she had beaten him out of the honor of the title of 8th grade salutatorian. She graduated high school from Crozier Technical High School in Dallas, Texas, in 1956.
The family moved to Dallas, Texas, after her father passed away, and that is where she met the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Franklin in 1955. They were married in 1956 and shared a long, loving, and lasting partnership that lasted 62 and half years. After Bob’s tour with the U.S. Army was over, they settled in Fort Worth, Texas, and started their family to whom she gave her whole, generous, and loving heart. Hilda joined the Order of the Eastern Star and made many lifetime friendships where she also served as a sponsor to the Rainbow Girls, where she shaped the lives of many young ladies. She also joined Riverside Methodist Church (Faith UMC), where she faithfully served as church Treasurer and in many other capacities. Hilda found the most joy in her life when she was serving others, and she taught that lesson to her children, whom she loved and adored.
Hilda worked as a bookkeeper, accountant, and secretary at Lubrication Engineers and Burton Brothers. She retired from the Davis Electric Company. She was exceedingly clever with numbers and could remember any telephone number that you told her for years afterward. She was admired, respected, and loved by all who worked with her, making many friends along the way.
She loved to play dominoes, Sequence, Yahtzee, and Words With Friends. She also enjoyed going on trips with the OES, her family when they were younger, her daughter, and especially with her husband. She hated sleeping alone, so on nights when Bob was at the firehall, she always invited one of her nieces to stay the night, or she had a friend sleep over with her, all the way up until Bob retired.
She lived a life of Love and Service. She will be missed.
Hilda is survived by her husband, Robert (Bob) Franklin; daughter, Virginia (Ginger) Vigmostad and her husband Tobias; son, Travis Franklin and his wife DeeDee; granddaughters, Kimberly Franklin, Amy Franklin, and two great grandchildren, Kyan and Briella Harris; and her brother, Archie Johnson. Special ones: Madison, Mason, and Miles McCune, and Alden Thompson, and a great number of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Hilda is preceded in death by her son, Calvin Randall Franklin of Fort Worth, Texas; her parents, Bessie Jones Johnson, of Fort Worth, and Joseph E. Johnson, of Mount Vernon, Texas; her brothers Gale Johnson, of Fort Worth; Billie Joe Johnson, of Dallas, Texas; and Fred Johnson, of Lancaster, Texas; and her half-siblings Paul Skidmore and Lucille Johnson, both of Fort Worth; and Mildred Collins, of Lancaster, Texas.
If you wish to send floral condolences in honor of Hilda Fay Franklin, you may call Dr. Delphinium Designs and Events, 214-525-1284.
