Violet Franklin

Violet T. Franklin, 80, of St. Anne, left this earth to be with Jesus, Sunday (Nov. 16, 2008) at the St. Vincent Seton Hospital in Indianapolis, Ind., after a brief illness. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home in Bourbonnais. Father Tony Taschetta will officiate at the funeral Mass at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday at St. Teresa's Church in Kankakee.Burial will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Kankakee. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or to St. Teresa's Catholic Church.Violet was born in Chicago, on April 2, 1928, to Charles and Sylvia Vranek Stegmeyer.Surviving are sons and daughters-in-law, the Rev. John and Lorene Franklin of St. Anne, Jeff and Lisa Franklin of Kankakee, Joe and Pam Franklin of Ft. Wayne, Ind.; one daughter and son-in-law, Lori and Mark Russell of West Point, Ind.; and brothers-in-law, Rodney Franklin of St. Anne and Jack Franklin of Florida. Violet has 11 grandchildren.Her parents, sister and husband, Gordon J. Franklin, are deceased.Violet grew up on the south side of Chicago where she attended Kelly High School until she moved with her family to Kankakee where she attended St. Patrick's High School for her senior year. She studied to teach high school biology at Marycrest College of Davenport, Iowa, for one year. She then returned to the Kankakee area where she worked at Montgomery Ward and other local businesses until she met and married innovative farmer, Gordon Franklin from St. Anne. She supported and assisted her husband in his state-of-the-art livestock breeding and feeding operation. Violet bowled on the St. Anne League and was involved in the Mother's Club of the St. Anne Academy where her children attended. As a devout Catholic, she and Gordon especially enjoyed worshipping with the parishioners of Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Hopkins Park. Violet's most recent membership was at St. Teresa's Catholic Church in Kankakee.Violet's strong faith in God set an example to her family and community as she cared for Gordon through 40 years of debilitating multiple sclerosis. She accepted the hardships of life with grace, courage and humor, constantly depending on her deep and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Her children, grandchildren, other family members and friends will thoroughly miss Vi's generosity and the blessing of her presence in their lives.

Violet Franklin

April 2, 1928 - November 16, 2008