John Franklin

John Orr Franklin, 72, of Franklin, formerly of Martin, died after a long fight with cancer on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013.

A memorial Services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Franklin with visitation at 1 p.m.

Mr. Franklin was the son of the late Ernest Baber and Bettie Orr Franklin. He was a native of Nashville. Mr. Franklin graduated from Montgomery Bell Academy in 1959, Nichols College in Dudley, Mass. In 1961 with an associates’ degree in Business Administration and the University of Georgia in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry. During his career, he worked for the Tennessee Department of Conservation Division of Forestry along with several private corporations. He retired in 1992. He was a charter member of the Tennessee Forestry Commission and served as chairman from 1990-1994. He was also a member of the Tennessee Forestry Association and the American Forestry Association. He was a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church.

Survivors include his wife of nearly 50 years, Mrs. Diane Seiberling Franklin of Franklin; children, Lyn Franklin (Louis) Hoyt of Nashville, Bettie Franklin (Tony) Colombo of Franklin and John Orr Jr. (Andrea Pramuk) Franklin of Austin, Texas; one brother, Robert Orr (Patsy) Franklin of Nashville; and six grandchildren.

He was also preceded in death by one brother, Ernest Baber Franklin Jr.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to be made to Alvine Hospice, the Beersheba Springs, Tennessee Historical Society or the Nature Conservancy.

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