Rev. Sandy Franklin

Henrietta Mae "Sandy" (Nichols) Franklin, 82, born August 6th, 1942 to Homer and Myrtle (Johnston) Nichols in Eldorado Illinois, returned to her Heavenly Father on August 24th, 2024 at her home surrounded by family.

Sandy at the tender age of 9 years old was called of God to do His work after receiving salvation and baptism until her last days before entering eternity's call back home. She acquired many titles and responsibilities throughout her 73 years of ministry but her greatest title and responsibility was Pastor, President, and CEO of Christian Fellowship Ministries, Incorporated founded in 1978 by herself and her late husband Chuck Franklin. She also acquired positions, titles, and responsibilities in the secular workforce of 60 years as an executive assistant in various non-profit organizations with her latest endeavor retiring in 2020 from Kentucky Hemophilia Foundation.

She obtained her Doctorate, Masters, and Bachelors degree of Divinity from Calvary Bible Institute in Houston Texas in the 1990's never requesting to be addressed as "Doctor Sandy" but to be humbly referred to as "Sister Sandy" and not "Pastor Sandy" because she didn't want to be labeled as someone to be of a higher regard than a lay person. Sandy did what Jesus commanded, 1st love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and spirit, then 2nd, love your neighbor as yourself, and with that she did faithfully until her last breath.

Sandy was preceded in death of her husband Chuck Franklin, her parents, three brothers Vernon, James, and Robert Nichols, and 2 sisters Dorothy Petersen, and Edith Reader, also two nieces Debbie Nichols, and Gayla Roe, and a grandson Cameron Maricle.

Sandy leaves to cherish her memory and legacy, her sons Allen Maricle and Jimmy Maricle, her grandchildren Whitney Gillespie, David (Alisha) Maricle, Meaghan (Chris Woodrum) Maricle, Sydney (Arturo Pineda) Maricle, and Jillian Maricle (wife of beloved Cameron), 9 great-grandchildren, niece Ellen (Stephen) K Brown, nephew Mark (Charlia) Reader, nephew Kenny Roe, niece Misty (Scott) LeClaire, niece Lori (Michael) Buzick,.and numerous cousins, church family, close friends, and "her girls" (Kim Logsdon, Paula Flink, Connie Thacker, Susan Netheton, Genny Pollard).

Funeral service will be 12pm Friday, September 6, 2024 at Evergreen Funeral Home with entombment in Evergreen Cemetery. Visitation will be 2pm-8pm Thursday, September 5, 2024 at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Sandy's memory can be made directly to her family.