Lilas Neal Franklin

Lilas Neal Franklin was born January 12, 1927, in McDowell County, NC to the late Lelia and Roy Neal. Lilas and her younger brother, Lynn, grew up around Old Fort, in the mountains of North Carolina. During World War II, Lilas journeyed to Washington D.C. and worked for the FBI. Upon leaving Washington, she attended and earned a Bachelor degree from Berea College in Kentucky. Lilas made teaching her life’s career. Her first teaching job was in the West, teaching on Native American Reservations.

Upon returning to her beloved North Carolina Mountains, she settled on a teaching job near Old Fort, NC. It is here that she met her husband, Mack Franklin. Lilas and Mack lived in many locations around the south but always considered the mountains home. Upon retirement, they returned and made their home in the community of Sugar Hill.

In addition to her parents, Lilas was also preceded in peace by her husband, Mack and brother, Lynn Neal. Lilas leaves behind to cherish her memory a daughter and son-in-law, Alice and Scott Blair; a son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Penny Franklin; a grandson, Brannon Franklin, and granddaughter and her husband, Barbara and Joey Knowles. Another grandson and his family, Dylan and Toni Hewitt, provided Lilas with six great grandchildren; Levi, Madeline, Sidney, Landon, Jacob and Zack. Two nephews and their families, Joe Neal and Albert Neal, live in Marion and Atlanta, respectively.

Lilas lived her faith. She was a member of the Sugar Hill Baptist Church and Corinth Baptist Church of New Ellenton, SC. She was a generous, kind, considerate, tolerant, compassionate and forgiving person. Her pleasant nature, quick humor, good manners and sharp mind made her an excellent conversationalist and good company. She was the definition of grace and will be sorely missed by her family and many friends.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM on Friday, May 4, 2012 at Kirksey Funeral Home in Marion. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at Sugar Hill Baptist Church with Rev. Michael Robinson officiating. Burial will follow at Bethlehem Community Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Sugar Hill Baptist Church – 1366 Mudcut Rd. Marion, NC 28752.

Words of comfort may be shared with the Franklin family at www.kirkseyfhmarion.com