Obit: Franklin, Mary Elizabeth (1911 – 2006)
Poster: Crystal Wendt
Email: Post4LincolnCoWi@aol.com

Surnames: Franklin, Kessler, Barbay, Richard, Flournoy, Gramer

---Source: Foto News (Merrill, Lincoln Co., Wis.) Wednesday, June 7, 2006; page 9

---Franklin, Mary Elizabeth (2 Nov. 1911 – 5 June 2006)

Mary E. Franklin

Mary Elizabeth Franklin, 95, of Merrill, died Monday, June 5, 2006, at Bell Tower Residence, Merrill, under the care of Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospise and Bell Tower Staff.

Arrangements are pending at the Waid Funeral Home, Merrill. A complete obituary will be published in next week’s Foto News.

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---- Source: Foto News (Merrill, Lincoln County, Wis.) Wednesday, 14 June 2006; Page 9

Mary E. Franklin

Mary Elizabeth Kessler Franklin, “Liz,” died Monday, June 5, 2006, at Bell Tower Residence, Merrill, under their excellent care and with Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice. Liz lived there nine months since being a Hurricane Katrina evacuee in September 2005. She was 95 years old on Nov. 2, 2005.

Liz was the devoted wife of the late Richard Blair Franklin for nearly 48 years, living married life and raising three children in New Orleans, La. She was originally from Lancaster and Athens, Ohio.Liz was an excellent wife, mother, grandmother, friend, accountant, pianist, bridge player, hospital volunteer, and cook, entertaining hundreds of guests at her home through the years. She traveled extensively and enjoyed Caribbean cruises with her family the best; her last trip was to heaven where God and her loved ones awaited her with open arms. She will be sadly missed but never forgotten.

She is survived by her daughters Sr. Janet Franklin, CSJ; and Mary Kay (A. Vance Jr.) Barbay; son Curtis Richard (wife Candace Flournoy); and grandchildren Noelle Kay and Gregory Charles Barbay (who endearingly called her Maw Maw Lizzie). Also surviving are sisters Ruth Kessler and Agnes Cramer, both of Lancaster, Ohio; Sisters Venard and Mary Carol Kessler, OP, Columbus, Ohio; sister-in-law Pat Kessler, Lancaster; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, three brothers, a sister and twin grandchildren.

She was a faithful Catholic all of her life. Her Memorial Eucharist is scheduled for Holy Cross Chapel, Bell Tower Residence, Merrill, at 4 p.m. on Monday, June 19. Memorial and burial will be in New Orleans at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to the Sisters of St. Joseph, the Huss Fund (Merrill) care of Janet Franklin, CSJ. The Waid Funeral Home, Merrill, and Lake Lawn, New Orleans, assisted with arrangements.

Her family wishes to express deep gratitude to all of her extended family and friends, to the unnamed men and women who rescued her from the flood waters of Katrina, to Bell Tower Residence Staff, the support of the sisters of St. Joseph, her doctors and nurses, and all who cared for her. You will never be forgotten.