Lois Jean Franklin

Lois Jean Janson Franklin was born in Chicago, Illinois to Robert Emil and Lucille Sponholtz Janson. Although an only child, she was surrounded by her German immigrant relatives, and grew up with 3 generations in the same row house that her grandfather built and her father grew up in. She graduated at age 21 from Northern Illinois University, but not before she was introduced to a skinny, bespectacled, country-boy engineering student from Purdue University. She and M. Neil Franklin were married in 1953, had 3 children within 4 years, moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, and started a civil engineering business. She received a Masters degree in Library Science from Butler University in 1973. She and Neil were active in many political campaigns, were regular members and leaders of Prentice Presbyterian Church, attended Purdue football games, volunteered in many parts of the Indianapolis 500 Festival, and attended conventions of the state and international associations of surveyors. In 1977, Neil and Lois sold the Indianapolis business and bought a run-down historic home in Buda, Texas, and spent the next 23 years there, refurbishing the house room-by-room. Lois had an antique business for a while, specializing in antique linens, as well as a small catering company, while Neil continued to do surveys and septic design. Lois served in church and civic groups, helping create the first public library in Buda, then transitioning that library to digital cataloging. Neil was struck down with brain cancer in 1999, and Lois moved to Tallahassee to be near her daughter Susan’s family and to watch grandson Mark play baseball. In Tallahassee, Lois was active in her homeowner’s association, Faith Presbyterian Church, and Presbyterian Women. She travelled to Switzerland, Bulgaria, Japan, Norway, France, China, Canada, and took her children on a European river cruise, as well as down the Snake/Columbia Rivers right before the pandemic. New Orleans was a favorite destination for her and Neil, so her children took her back to NOLA for her 90th birthday. She bought a new car at age 91 and continued to drive and volunteer through this past winter. Most afternoons in the summer, you could catch her watching her beloved Chicago Cubs on TV, closely tracking their schedule and standings. In the winter, college basketball was her constant companion, and this March, she watched the Purdue Boilermakers make it to the Final Four for the first time in 44 years! She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 45 years, Marshall Neil Franklin. She is survived by son Robert Franklin, daughter Susan McLeod (Kenneth), and son Andrew Franklin (Kim), as well as six grandchildren: Sarah Franklin Blumenthal (Scott), Melissa Franklin Chi (Andrew), Amanda McLeod Goodman (Alaric), Mark McLeod (Heather), Sam Franklin, and Luci Franklin Baker (Brandon). She has 12 great-grandchildren: Ethan Blumenthal, Jacob Blumenthal, Benjamin Blumenthal, Charlotte Chi, Ruby Chi, Forest Mikola, Bricelynn Bilotto, Banks Bilotto, Kennedy McLeod, Camden McLeod, Anora Bonilla-Franklin, and Ember Bonilla-Franklin . Services are planned for 11:00 am on May 10, at Faith Presbyterian Church, with reception to follow. Services will be handled by Bevis Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, Lois wishes any donations to go towards Presbyterian Church (USA) missions and ministry at https://www.pcusa.org/new-give/, or Purdue University Foundation. Checks may be mailed to Purdue Foundation, 403 W Wood St, West Lafayette, IN 47907 - in the memo line please indicate -IMO Lois Franklin. Dayne Parker of Bevis Funeral Home (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com) is assisting the family with their arrangements.

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Lois Jean Franklin

March 3, 1932 - April 26, 2024