Born in Pittsburgh, PA, she was the daughter of the late George and Elizabeth (Maynard) Davis. After growing up in Keyport, New Jersey, she returned to Pittsburgh to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts from Carnegie Mellon University. There she met her future husband Donald Franks. The two raised four children in a rarely quiet household: Diane Ochala (David) of St. Mary's GA, David Franks (Christine) of Fort Mill SC, Alan Franks (Sharyl) of San Diego CA, and Gary Franks of Raleigh NC. After a brief stint in Illinois, the family spent roughly a decade in each of Fulton NY, Dalton GA, and Lancaster PA.
While raising her four children, her home often became the de-facto gathering place for neighborhood kids, with the premises serving as the local baseball field and basketball court. In addition, she involved herself in numerous community activities such as Red Cross volunteer, scout troop and den leader, high school substitute teacher, MADD, and Welcome Wagon member. After her children grew up and moved out of the house, over the next several years she hosted several foreign exchange students. In retirement she lived in The Villages, FL. There, her warmth towards others continued, as she served as communications coordinator for her neighborhood and greeted new arrivals. Also, she enjoyed her activities of listening and playing music, genealogy research, traveling, and consumer technology.
In addition to her children, she is survived by five grandchildren: Benjamin Ochala, Caroline Mahoney (Carter), Kirsten Jordan (Robert), Katherine Franks, and Allison Franks. She is also survived by two great-grandchildren: Fletcher Jordan and Evan Mahoney.
To celebrate the life of Dorothy Davis Franks, the family is hosting an informal gathering on Thursday December 1st from 1pm to 3pm at the Dignity Memorial Life Celebration Center (7134 Powell Road, Wildwood FL). In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donating to the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org.
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