Obituary of John Charles Franklin

John Charles Franklin, age 91, of Baldwin Place, NY passed away peacefully on January 29, 2022.  John was born on July 1, 1930, in Cloonalaghan, Carrowmore – Lacken, Ballina, Co. Mayo, Ireland to Martin and Catherine (nee: Collins) Franklin and was the youngest son of nine siblings.

John left his Irish homeland at the age of 19 to immigrate to the United States.  He lived in Manhattan, NY with his Aunt, Ann Collins, and attended Manhattan College before moving to the Bronx, NY where he met and married the love of his life Bridget (Bea) Kelly on October 11, 1958 in the Parish of Saint Brendan’s.

He was employed by NYCMTA until he retired in 1980. He moved his young family to Rye, NY in 1980 where he was a member of the Coveleigh Club in Rye and served as active member in the Church of the Resurrection.  He founded Keep Insurance Company in Valley Cottage, NY and retired in 1992.

John will be remembered for his ability to make everyone in his company feel welcome and at home.  He had a great sense of humor and he loved to laugh and tell jokes. He often reminisced about “the good old days” sharing fond memories of his youth in Ireland. 

No family gathering would be complete without John’s variation of an Irish sing along. He had a passion for gardening, poetry, literature, history and baseball.  He was never seen without a book in his hands or a Yankees hat on his head.  

John was a kind and gentle man who left a loving family to carry on his legacy.  He is survived by his beloved wife Bridget (Bea) of 64 years, and his children Catherine (Joseph Maschak), Maureen (Gerard O’ Donoghue), Brigid (Kyle Tucker), and predeceased by daughter Ann (Luis Maldonado) and son John Patrick.  He was the proud grandfather to Liam (predeceased), and John Kelly, Brendan, Deirdre and Conor O’Donoghue, and Lucy and Mary Tucker.

His family will receive friends on Wednesday, Feb 2 from 5-8 pm at Clark Associates Funeral Home, 4 Woods Bridge Rd, Katonah, NY

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, Feb 3 at 10:00am at St Josephs RC Church, 95 Plum Brook Road, Somers, NY

Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 10 W. Stevens Ave, Hawthorne, NY

In lieu of flowers, please contribute a donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.  www.stjude.org.