Hellon M Franklin

Ms. Franklin was born in Leroy, Alabama on November 11, 1928. She was preceded in death by her parents Allen and Ruby Pace, her 8 siblings, Thomas Franklin (husband), Donald Cooper (son), Phillip Cooper (son) and Elsie Ruth "Susie" Sonia (daughter), Donald Lynn Cooper (grandson), Wayne Rohn (grandson), and Wayne Reid (son-in-law).

Ms. Franklin is survived by 5 of her children, Milton Cooper Jr., James "Jimmy" Cooper (Becky), Marie Reid Petcher (Steven), Cynthia "Cindy" Willis, Allen (Barbara) Cooper. Her grandchildren are: Cheryl Atenza, Oliver Cooper, Nicole Counselman, Natalie Kountz, Amanda Gartman, Courtney Heise, Renee Rohn, Yvonne First, Jami Denison, Michelle Palmer, Christopher Cooper, John Cooper, Josh Cooper, Marie Hernandez, Sarah Cooper, Melissa Gillespie. She was blessed to have numerous great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Her nephew John "Johnny" Pace was special to her and she often called him her other son. Ms. Franklin's sister-in-law, Nell Pace Smith and her niece Virginia Burge were important to her as they traveled together and shared many hours of laughter.

Ms. Franklin loved her family and was very proud of the accomplishments of her children. Many followed in her career path and became registered nurses. She loved traveling, reading and working in her flower beds but most of all she enjoyed cooking for her family. She was quick minded and offered many words of encouragement to others. She loved telling others how to dress, how to wear their hair and even let them know the size they should be. Ms. Franklin designed recipe books and stories of her childhood and early adulthood for each of her children. Ms. Franklin was the youngest of nine children born to her parents. Her father was a sharecropper in Leroy, AL.

Ms. Franklin played the piano and organ at a young age and played those instruments in her home church, Leroy Baptist Church. Her mother taught her to crochet and sew at a young age. She was a seamstress at Hammels Department Store in Mobile while attending college. This is where she met her late husband, Thomas Franklin. She was first an LPN then became an RN at the age of 47. She worked mostly in nursing homes and retired at age 75 from Crowne Healthcare where she died.

Once retired, Ms. Franklin started an internet chat room for senior citizens from all over, some as far as Australia. They traveled together and planned parties each year so they could gather in person. They were family to her and many she had kept in touch with.

Many thanks to the staff at Crowne Nursing Home who have been so kind to her. Her constant caregivers were Shay, Angela, Catherine, Fallon, Pauline, Janay and many others. Many would bring coffee to her room for a visit and would often say "Ms. Franklin trained me" She enjoyed the talks of her time on the job at Crowne.

Her funeral will be held at Radney Funeral Home on Dauphin St in Mobile AL on Saturday, June 29, 2024. Visitation will be 11 - 1pm with a service at 1pm. Interment will be at Serenity Memorial Gardens in Theodore, AL