Thomas Wayne Franklin

Thomas Wayne Franklin passed from this world Sept 14, 2014. The world became a little smaller and less bright from that moment. Tom was born May 5, 1951 in Norman Oklahoma to Ben and Georgia Franklin. He was a bright, inquisitive, and mischievous little boy, sporting his cowboy hat and 2 six shooters on his hips morning, noon, and night. As a child his family moved to Dallas, Texas and he graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1969.

At age 23 he began selling life insurance for American General Life and Casualty. He started as an agent and worked for 20 years ending his career as a manger supervising many agents beneath him. He won many accolades and awards during his tenure; enjoying the trips he won the most.

At age 43 Tom decided it was time to make a career change and went back to college and received his Associate Degree in Respitory Therapy from El Centro College in 1996.Tom loved being a respiratory therapist beginning his career in Dallas, Texas with his first job at Irving Hospital, he worked for several hospitals in Texas and Oklahoma. He also worked in the home health field and ended his career as the Director of Cardiopulmonary Medicine at Integris Seminole Hospital. Tom absolutely loved being a respiratory therapist, his gentle touch with dying patients, his care for a wheezing child, his education to patients on learning to breath better was his goal and he accomplished this with overwhelming success.

Tom had a daughter, Michelle Renee Franklin, who the sun rose and set in his heart every day for her. He married Ann Parker-Money on October 7, 1990 and he loved her with all his heart. He had two sons: Michael Parker, and Ryan Fletcher, who he took great pride in and bragged what fine men they had become.

Thomas Roy Franklin, Sarah Elizabeth Parker, Allison Rhae Parker, and Emmaline Ashley Bell, were his grandchildren that lifted up his life every day, in some of his darkest hours and days the pictures, voices, memories and love from these precious gifts from god kept him going.

Tom had many passions throughout his life time, but the two greatest following his family and work were hunting and fishing. Tom loved to hunt; he could spend hours upon hours talking about his hunting adventures, and telling the story of shooting his first squirrel while sitting on top of his dad's shoulders. The thrill of watching Mike kill his first deer or shall we say bambi. The absolute joy of taking his grandson Thomas hunting last year and the excitement of seeing him shoot his first deer and coyote.

Fishing was a luxury that Tom lived for, whether it be sitting on a dock, in a boat on the lake, or fishing for the big ones in the Gulf of Mexico. Memories of Michelle and Tom camping at Lake Texoma, watching the grandchildren catch perch and squeal with excitement, the stories over giant platters of red snapper with his friend Glynn, the hours of fishing with Lowell and who could tell the biggest fish stories. Tom even managed to get his wife Ann interested in fishing although he heard from her many times after hours of fishing and no catching there are NO fish in this lake.

Last but not least, Tom was the original animal whisperer, loving all animals but especially his puppies. The amazing thing is that they loved him back.Tom is preceded in death by his parents, Benjamin and Georgia Franklin; and two brothers: Benjamin Ray Franklin II, and Michael Gene Franklin. Tom is survived by his wife, Ann E. Parker-Money; three children: Michelle Rene Walker and husband David Walker, Michael Charles parker and wife Jodi Rhae Parker, and Travis Ryan Fletcher and wife Aimee Fletcher; six grandchildren: Thomas Roy Franklin, Emmaline Bell Franklin, Sarah Elizabeth Parker, Allison Rhae Parker, Madyson Jaide Fletcher, and Rayne Fletcher; and a multitude of friends and other family members. A funeral service will be held in Tom’s honor on Thursday, September 18, 2014, at 1:30PM at Resthaven Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will be open to the public on Wednesday, September 17, 2014, from 4:00PM to 8:00PM at Resthaven Funeral Home of Shawnee, Oklahoma.