Shirley Anne Franks, age 73, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma passed away on Tuesday, October 20, 2020. Shirley was born March 18, 1947. A memorial service for Shirley will be held Monday, October 26, 2020 at 2:00 PM at Advantage Funeral & Cremation Services -South Chapel, 7720 S Pennsylvania Ave, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73159.
Shirley Anne (Heath) Franks was born on March 18, 1947, in Raymondville, Texas, to Tommie Wilcox and Junior Leon Heath. She was raised with her sister Terrie by her grandparents W.E. and Stella Wilcox and her aunt Edna Wilcox. She passed away suddenly on October 20, 2020, after a short illness in Oklahoma City, OK.
After graduating high school, she attended Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts in
Chickasha, OK, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education in 1970. She taught elementary school and special education at Pioneer Elementary School for eight years.
On November 14, 1975, she married the love of her life and her soul mate Andy Alan Franks. They had a true love story for the ages and were married forty-three and a half years until his death on May 2, 2018.
On August 6, 1977, her dream of becoming a mother came true when she had their daughter Heather. They moved to Del City, Oklahoma, in 1979 when Alan got a job with General Motors. Shirley retired from teaching to be a full-time mom and homemaker, which she said was two full-time jobs.
Shirley loved music and could play the piano. An excellent cook, she always sang in the kitchen and had a beautiful voice. Shirley was a fan of watching old movies and was an avid reader. She said she’d prefer to read than do anything else. She was a walking encyclopedia of trivia and information on just about any subject.
Shirley loved clothes and shopping. She never stepped out of the house looking less than her best. She could spot a bargain at fifty paces, and she loved to shop sales. She always completed her outfits with accessories and felt undressed without her jewelry.
She loved her family, and she was, above all else, a caretaker. The definition of a steel magnolia, she had a soft, gentle outside, but an inner backbone of steel. While always polite, considerate and accommodating of others, her husband joked that when her eyebrow went up
and she got “the look,” look out!
Shirley is survived by her daughter Heather, her aunt Edna Wilcox, sister Terrie Wilcox, brothers Gene Heath and Bobby Heath, sister-in-law Marvena Busby, brother- and sister-in-law Richard and Lisa Franks, nephew Evan Busby and his family, numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, her best friends of fifty-plus years Steve and Kathy Witchey and their family, and two grand-kitties.
Memorial services are Monday, October 26, 2020 at 2 p.m. at the chapel at Advantage Funeral Home on S. Pennsylvania Ave. in Oklahoma City, OK.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.AdvantageSouth.com for the Franks family.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18