Melvin L. Franklin was born June 3, 1930 in Union City, OK to Sherman L. and Pearl (Segress) Franklin, and died May 13, 2018 at a Hospice facility in Surprise, AZ. He attended Oklahoma Baptist University and graduated from Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State). After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he spent a brief time in the West Texas oil industry. He was privileged to fly for American Airlines for 33 years where he flew out of DFW, Tulsa, LaGuardia, LAX, Cleveland and O’Hare. Mel is survived by his wife of 49 years, Marilyn, his sister Norma, and his nieces and nephews. He was a member of Salem U.M.C, and Barrington U.M.C both in Barrington, IL, and he was a Winning Worker at both Churches. While living in Arizona he was a member of Dove of the Desert U.M.C. in Glendale, AZ. Mel lived a life of gratitude for his wife, family, friends, American Airlines, freedom in the U.S. and his Faith. Mel’s ashes will be inurned at a later date in the Columbarium Wall at Barrington U.M.C.
