Dorothy Hayes Franklin

Dorothy was born in Clarksville, Tennessee to Willie D. and Ida Minnie (Hughes) Byard on July 21, 1927. She was the youngest of nine children. Dorothy graduated from Eureka High School in Eureka, California and worked as a nurse’s aide. During that time, she met her future husband at a Fuller Brush party. Dorothy married Billy Robert Franklin on October 24, 1948 in Eureka. Being a truck driver’s wife, she always had a late dinner cooking in the cast iron skillet and took many a road trips with Daddy. A city girl at heart, Mom never did like the snowy roads or Norwood Hill.

Dorothy was such a loving and caring lady. Always so cheerful. She was such a devoted mother, and active in her kids school activities and was a bleacher bum for many of her grandkids’ sports. She enjoyed sewing and mending, and made many Barbie doll dresses and had that signature zig zag that you could spot on her grandchildren’s clothes. Mom loved animals, especially her cats, Baby, Bear and Fluffy. She enjoyed watching the deer and birds in her backyard and marveled at the geese flying over the ball park, and therefore had her own collection of birds. Dorothy liked to dance, and write songs and poetry, and always had a little handwritten note or story for the grandkids. She also enjoyed spending time with the Grandma Club, a group of gals that she loved and depended on, and together they had such fun.

Dorothy is survived by her sons Terry of Naturita and Del B. of Nucla; her daughter Debby (Lyn) Greager of Grand Junction; Roberta Franklin of Nucla; her sister, Tina Silvestrini of Chico, California; eight grandchildren, Eric, Bobbie Joe, Amy, Jill, Candelera, Ryan, Shane and Jeremy, and twelve great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her loving husband and favorite dance partner, Bob; her infant granddaughter, Bobbie Joe and grandson, Shane, who adoringly called her his “Groovy Granny”. You were such a good mom, we love you and will all miss you dearly.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 1:00 pm at Martin Mortuary in Grand Junction, with a graveside service to follow at Grand Junction Memorial Gardens.

Arrangements under the direction of Martin Mortuary, Grand Junction, CO.