Ora J.Franklin

Ora J. Franklin, 94, of Greenville passed away August 11, 2012, at Hunt Regional Medical Center.   A memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM Wednesday at Coker-Mathews Funeral Home chapel with Rev. Veronica Greanead. 

Born on August 3, 1918, Ora Kincer grew up with her three older sisters on their family farm just west of Greenville in the tiny Salem community.  They were a hard working farm family, just like so many others in the United States at that time.  The girls had to help in the fields when they were not in school, and they helped can and preserve the produce out of the garden so they would have food to eat during the winter and early spring until the next garden began to produce more food.

Their family had to learn not to waste anything or they might not have enough to live.  The lessons she learned growing up in a large farm family carried her through a long, 94 year life.

She never had an over-abundance of anything but she always had her heart open and somehow she managed to find a way to help her family.  Family was, in her childhood, of the utmost importance.  Life most families in those days, they knew that a family was the biggest or even the only support group available.  She lived 94 years loving and taking care of her family.

Her son, William Lang Franklin, Jr. and her daughter, Betty Matteson are already missing her loving care and compassion.  William (Bill) has a daughter and two grandchildren and Betty has a son and two grandchildren.  They all hope to continue her family tradition of loving and caring for each other and their extended families. 

We can all pray that the Lord permits us to gently slip easily into His loving arms just as Ora Franklin did on the morning of August 11, 2012.