Clinton R Franklin

December 23, 1919 - June 6, 2015

CR Franklin passed away in Caldwell, Idaho after moving there just a few weeks previously to be close to family. He was born on a ranch in DeBeque, Colorado to Benjamin and Effie May Franklin. After graduating from high school in DeBeque, he served in World War II in North Africa, Italy and England.

After returning to the States, he worked in maintenance at Porter Hospital in Denver, Colorado and became the director of that department. While remodeling the obstetrics ward there, he met Goldie Cross, a cute young nurse supervisor. They soon married, and he later served as credit manager for the hospital. They added two boys to their family and decided to return to western Colorado to farm. They bought a small farm near Fruita, and Goldie worked many years as a nurse at the Fruita hospital while he farmed and remodeled their home. He loved farming and ranching and gradually built up his farm to also include cattle ranching on 4A Mountain near his hometown of DeBeque. He was always a hard worker and enjoyed farm and ranch work. He loved seeing the crops grow and working with cattle and horses.

CR was very active in the Fruita Seventh-day Adventist Church. He was head elder for many years and enjoyed teaching classes for adults. He also took an active part in community affairs such as being on the board of the Fruita Coop and being involved with sugar-beet growing for Holly Sugar. He loved to read, especially books on history. His special interest was reading about World War II. He was skilled in both wood and metal working. He stayed active in farming up until the end. His son, Steve, spent several months each year helping him farm during the last few years of his life.

His wife of nearly 63 years, Goldie, passed away October, 2014. He missed her greatly and looked forward to seeing her in heaven. He loved to visit his many friends and also hoped to see them in heaven. Even though he had many good friends and neighbors who visited him frequently and helped him with many things, he decided to move to Caldwell, Idaho, where he purchased a home close to his son, Steve.

Survivors include sons, Chuck (Tami) and Steve (Marsha). He has four grandsons, Travis (Alyse), Brandon (Raylene), Jeremy and Jared (Jolene); one granddaughter, Ginger; and great-grandchildren, Connor, Jenna, Bailey, Colter, Bridger. and Bradley.

Services will be on July 13 at 1:00 p.m. at Callahan-Edfast Mortuary.