Toki Sumi Franks

Toki was born and raised in Amore, Japan and met her husband of 67 years, Harold Leroy Franks, at the US Air Force base he was stationed at in Yokota, Japan, where she would watch him play softball. They married on April 1, 1957 at the American Embassy in Tokyo and honeymooned at the base of Mt. Fuji. After his time in the service they moved back to their home in Lowell, Michigan where they happily raised their two children. Mrs. Franks was an amazingly talented seamstress who worked both out of her home and at Jacobson’s in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After retirement, Toki and Roy moved to enjoy the warmth of Harlingen, Texas. She was a devout Christian who was a member of the Lowell Christian Reformed Church in Michigan as well as the Faith Christian Church in Harlingen, Texas. With the voice of an angel she praised her Lord through many years of singing with her church choirs.

Toki is survived by her loving husband, Harold Leroy Franks. She will be lovingly missed by their son, Van Thomas Franks (wife Sheryl) and daughter Tina Marie Franks-Fassbender (husband Christopher), as well as 7 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents and 10 older siblings, along with her mother and father in-law, 3 brothers in-law and 1 sister-in-law.

Services will be held on Sunday, November 17th at Reyers Funeral Home in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Visitation will be from 1pm to 2pm with services immediately following. After the services have ended there will be a memorial open house held at the Home2Suites banquet room at 330 River Ridge Dr. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49544.