Josephine P. Franco

Josephine (Jody) Plancarte was born March 19, 1932, in the town of Cokedale, Colorado to Miguel and Anna Plancarte. She was the fifth of seven siblings born to the couple. A true coalminer’s daughter, her life in Cokedale was simple and carefree. This simple life didn’t come with material possessions, but rather, she used her vivid imagination to keep herself entertained. She would create many adventures as she and her brother Anglo played on the mountains of coal dumped by the trains. Finding an old barrel top or wheel was a great treasure, as she would use a stick to spin the wheel as long as possible. Old vegetable cans were a fashion must as she smashed the cans with her feet and used them for shoes. She would dance around town in the vegetable cans, imagining she was a tap dancer.

Jody adored her father, Miguel. Whenever Jody spoke about her father, her face would light up with joy and happiness. She would recall sitting at her father’s feet while they listened to Joe Lewis fights and Fireside Chats by Franklin D. Roosevelt. This is where her fighting spirit and the love of politics was born. Sunday mornings, she remembered her father fondly hitching up the horse to the wagon and going to church every Sunday. It was on the quiet Sunday mornings where she began to build her strong faith and love for the Lord.

When the coalmines started shutting down, there was little opportunity in their small town. Miguel moved the family to Denver in 1942. Jody was just 10 years old when she arrived in the big city. She was amazed at the different lifestyle Denver offered; large houses and automobiles overwhelmed her with possibilities. Jody’s vivid imagination was energized as she considered all the opportunities that could be achieved in Denver, and the pioneer spirit in her was awakened.

The family of nine lived in a two-bedroom apartment before ultimately moving into a small house in North Denver. She attended Sacred Heart, Mount Carmel and graduated from Denver North High School.

After graduation, she started working at Neusteter’s Department store in downtown Denver. It was while taking the bus to work that Jody caught the eye of Stanley Franco. They married in 1951 and settled down in North Denver where they raised their family. Stanley and Jody had four children: Stanley Michael, Gregory Joseph, Jeffrey William, and Celeste Marie. She had five grandchildren: Felicia, Jillian, Joshua, Kayla, and Erica. She also had two great grandchildren: Alberto and Liliana. Her family was her greatest joy and blessing. In addition, there are numerous nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly. In the spring of 2017, Jody lost her beloved husband Stanley when he entered God’s Kingdom.

The pioneer spirit in her was strong. In the 1960’s, she was determined to learn to drive and get her license, even when she was told “women can’t drive”. She proved she was capable of providing for her children when in 1970 she began working at May D&F at the Westland shopping center. She worked retail until her retirement in 1993.

Jody had an exceedingly rare quality of making people feel unique and special. She was intuitive and knew when someone was in need. She never hesitated to get involved when someone was hurting. Jody was selfless, loving, and very generous to all she met. She fought for social justice her entire life. She was a strong and faithful prayer warrior and believed in the power of prayer. Jody instilled in her children the value of friendship, hard work, and good deeds. She empowered her children to confront challenges, be proud of their accomplishments, be grateful for what they achieve and to serve their community, all fueled by her pioneer spirit. Jody had a nurturing spirit that allowed her to be a mother to others when they had lost their own. Extended family members, Carol Dean, Rosemary, Patricia, and Annie all referred to her as their second mother.

Jody lived 89 years, everyday full of life. She loved going “Up the Hill” for a “Mom’s Gone Bad” day of gambling in Blackhawk. She stayed strong, independent, and self-sufficient to the end. Her body and mind remained strong and vibrant until the final days. The family takes great comfort in knowing that Jody is a child of God, and she is whole and complete in His presence. The void she leaves seems insurmountable, yet we celebrate her life and rejoice that we will be together again in God’s Kingdom.