R. Ben Franklin

R. Ben Franklin, age 87 of Dandridge, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville following an extended illness. Ben was a member of the Dandridge First United Methodist Church; a member of the Roy McKinney Masonic Lodge and served on the Town of Dandridge Water Board for 20 years. He was a veteran of the US Navy and WWII, having served on the USS Oklahoma City and his ship was in the Bay of Japan when peace was declared. Ben was the owner and operator of Franklin's Market on Vine Avenue in Knoxville for 27 years. He was the son of the late Roby and Stella Franklin. He was preceded in death by brothers, Garner, Burl and Ernie Franklin and sisters, Dorothy Turner and Gladys Welchel. His family is grateful for his kind heart - his life of integrity - his great sense of fairness and goodwill - his fun loving stories and wonderful laugh.He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Lorene Bradley Franklin; son and daughter-in-law, Robbie and Janet Franklin; daughters and sons-in-law, Connie and Dave Armstrong and Kathy and Roger Tipton; grandchildren, Heather and David Cassada, Robin and Reid Beebe, Wendy and Adam Kuhn, Allyson and Mark Mason, Kelly and John Tate, Hunter Armstrong, Sam Tipton and A. J. Tipton; great grandchildren, Mason Franklin, Weston Beebe, Mary Bradley, Ann Parker Cassada, Colby Grace and Caleb Kuhn, Zach and Eli Tate; nephews, Eddie Franklin and Dana Tillett; nieces, Yvonne Pearman and Linda Ernst. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Dandridge First Methodist Church Library Fund, PO Box 8, Dandridge, TN 37725. Funeral services will be held at 8:00 p.m., Friday, September 13, 2002 at the Dandridge First Methodist Church with Rev. Dan Moore officiating. Interment graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, September 14, 2002 at Lynnhurst Cemetery, 2300 W. Adair Drive, Knoxville, TN. The family will receive friends Friday evening from 6:30 until 8:00 p.m. prior to services at the church. Arrangements by Farrar Funeral Home in Dandridge, TN (865) 397-2711