Sharon Ann Franklin

Our mother, Sharon Ann (Moulder) Franklin, died peacefully September 20, 2023 at Aston Gardens in Naples, Florida under the care of Avow Hospice. Born July 7, 1931 in Lafayette, Indiana, she was the daughter of Thomas Penn Moulder, Sr. and Cynthia I. Hobbs.

She first married Allen B. Rayl in 1954, and later married Benjamin W. Franklin. She graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota with a B.S. in Art. She and Allen had three children: Eleanor Rayl of Bonita Springs, FL, Allen B. Rayl, Jr., of Waterford, MI and Elizabeth “Libby” (Christopher) Riesen of Estero, FL, who survive her. She is also survived by her step-children; Karmen Hayes and Benjamin (Nancy) Franklin; her sister, Sara “Sally” (Moulder) Neave of South Africa; two nieces and one nephew, and their children, several cousins and six (Rayl) nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, both husbands, Allen and Benjamin, her brother, Thomas Penn Moulder, Jr., step-daughters Karen Engel and Benille Appelgreen, and brother-in-law James Neave.

Sharon was a lifelong member of Grace United Methodist Church, Kokomo. She was active with Tri Kappa sorority in Kokomo, where she served as chapter president in the 1960s. She was also an insurance agent with Citizens Insurance, where she was a partner with her husband. Noted for artistic skills, there are several paintings that she did during her lifetime. Sharon treasured time spent at family cottage on Klinger Lake in Sturgis, Michigan. She shared activities of skiing and fishing with her children, building life-long memories of time spent at the lake.

There will be a time for visitation on Monday, October 2, 2023, from 10am-noon at Grace United Methodist Church, 219 W. Mulberry St., Kokomo, IN, 46901. At noon, there will be a gathering and short graveside service where she will buried, in Crown Point Cemetery, 1101 E. Sycamore St., Kokomo, IN. Memorial contributions may be made to Grace United Methodist Church, in Sharon’s honor. Please mail to 212 W. Walnut St, Kokomo, IN 46901.