Richard Royce Franklin

Published 10:42 am Monday, February 1, 2021

TRYON – Richard Royce Franklin, 89, of Tryon died after a great life and a long final journey with Alzheimer’s disease.

 Born in Ashtabula, Ohio, Richard was the youngest child of Raymond and Hilda Franklin. His formal education started in a one-room school house and ended at Brown University. Inspired by the service of his brother and brother-in-law, he volunteered to serve for four years in the United States Air Force during the Korean conflict, including two tours of duty in Korea. After returning from Korea, he was stationed at Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod, and during this time he met his wife of sixty-six years, Ann Weeden Franklin. 

Richard followed his father briefly into the railroad business and helped his family build and operate the Chapel Hills Golf Course. He then embarked on a career as an educator, primarily in the Glastonbury, Connecticut and Hingham, Massachusetts school systems. On retirement Richard and Ann moved first to Wilmot, New Hampshire and finally to Tryon, North Carolina. In Tryon Richard was a member of the Tryon Congregational Church (U.C.C.) where he held a number of leadership roles. He loved puttering around his gentlemen’s farm and taking care of the family’s curious collection of equines. Richard loved to talk and would turn a quick trip to the feed store into an hour-long discussion.

 Predeceasing Richard were his father and son, both named Raymond Royce Franklin, his mother, Hilda Allen Franklin, and his siblings Melba, Ann, William, and Donna.

 In addition to his wife he is survived by children Margaret Franklin and Peter Franklin (Gregory Wright) of Tryon, and Paul Franklin (Lori) of Bath, Maine; daughter-in-law Joanne Tate Franklin of Wilmot, N.H.; grandchildren Matthew, Abigail, Emily, Amy, Amelia, Robert, and Cristian Alexander Franklin; and twenty nieces and nephews. 

The family extends its appreciation to Hospice of the Carolina Foothills for compassionate end of-life support. No immediate services are planned.

 Memorial gifts may be made to the Tryon Congregational Church (U.C.C.)(ucctryon.org) or Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry (tboutreach.org) to help those in Polk County living with food and housing insecurity.

Condolences to the family can be made to http://www.sandersfuneralandcremation.com

Sanders Funeral Home of Columbus, NC.