Mr. Carse Franklin Jr.

FRANKLIN Jr., Mr. Carse - Age 70, passed away Thursday, September 1, 2016 at Hurley Medical Center. Family hour 10:30 AM Saturday, September 10, 2016 at Word of Life Christian Church, 460 W. Atherton Rd., with funeral service commencing at 11:00 AM Pastor George Wilkinson Pastor. Interment Sunset Hills Association, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 10:30 AM Saturday. Mr. Franklin will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 12:00 PM -8:00 PM Friday. I, Carse “Sonny” Franklin, Jr., have made my transition. My physical life on earth has come to an end. I am looking forward to the spiritual reunion with my dear family members and loved ones who departed before me -- there are so many: Mama, Daddy, my brother Eddie Lee, my sister Marie, my granddaughter Tyler—just to name a few. It will be some reunion! You all don’t weep for me too long, I'm in good company. As I reflect on my life, I can say every day I opened my eyes, was good. I was not a perfect man - I’ve sinned and I have repented. I have experienced life’s highs and lows; loves and losses; trials and tribulations… Although I’m not perfect, I KNOW perfect love: I celebrated my 70th Birthday on August 2nd, so I know God loved me perfectly (because he granted me what the Bible says, threescore and ten); I know the perfect love I shared with all 6 of my children and their mothers - Ventress, Eunice, Jeannie); I certainly know the “perfectly-imperfect” love shared amongst my family – the love we’ve always had for each other. We loved way harder than we ever fought! (hey…that’s family). I now realize that love is the key to life everlasting. In order to have an ending, there must first be a beginning. Most of you who know me, also know my story. I was born on August 2, 1946 in Clarksdale, Mississippi to my parents, Carse (Honey Man) Franklin and Marie Howell-Franklin. Although I was named Carse Jr., I was always known as “Sonny” throughout my life. I had 8 siblings – 5 sisters and 3 brothers. After my mother and father divorced, I attended Higgins High School in Clarksdale, but later moved to Chicago, Illinois to live with my father and stepmother Lorene. My daddy introduced me to manhood by making me get my first job at Spiegel. As a young man, I married my high school sweetheart, Eunice Hall (Franklin) in 1968 and we decided to make Flint, Michigan our home (where we both spent the rest of our days). We shared a marriage and all that came with it. Our marital union lasted for over 15 years. 2 things I enjoyed quite a bit: 1) I loved cars – Cadillacs to be specific. My love for cars led me to a job in the automotive industry. I was employed at GM (Fisher Body) for over 14 years; and 2) I loved to walk – I would walk anywhere. I was awarded a Certificate of Achievement from my walking club for completing a 3000 Mile Walk. I also took a few courses to expand my knowledge: Business Management, Entrepreneurship, and Personal Finance – I received Certificates of Completion for those as well. There aren’t many things I would change about my life, but there are a few things I would do differently if I could. I would “right” the “wrongs” and correct the mistakes and bad choices I’ve made that affected the ones I loved the most. For that, I am sorry. Please forgive me for not always having the courage to say/do what I could have said/done, when I should have (I wish I had done that). My wish now is to be remembered as a good person, with a good heart. I answered my final call on Thursday, September 1, 2016. I leave to cherish my memory: 6 children, whom I love with all my heart – Raymond Jackson; Gwendolyn (Antonio) Franklin; Prince (Tammi) Franklin; Natasha (William) Campbell; Khali Franklin; and Laelonni (Carlos) Jackson. 15 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren, who affectionately called me “Pappy” (Pappy’s love will remain with you always); A loving stepmother – Lorene Franklin. 4 loving sisters – Daisy Mae (Mack) Brown; Charlene White; Patricia Wilson; and Darlene Asendio. 2 loving brothers – Sherman (Connie) Franklin and Carl F. Franklin. 2 dearest aunts – Ernestine Golden and Josephine Johnson. 3 uncles – Joe Louis (Irma) Franklin; MacArthur (Sheila) Franklin; and Artree Franklin. 3 sisters-in-law – Yvonne Coulter; Sylvia Brown, and Cheryl Franklin; Several AWESOME nieces and nephews who I loved like my own children. Cousins, who are more like brothers and sisters (I couldn’t love you more if you were). And a host of other relatives, including special daughter Tasha Bowman, special cousin David Wilson, friends, “jokas” and “pahtnas”! longtime friends, Leroy, Humphrey and Eddie.

Mr. Carse Franklin Jr.

August 2, 1946 - September 1, 2016