He was born April 3, 1941, to Theodore R. and Jean Patterson Franklin in Towanda, PA, attended Towanda Area Schools and graduated in 1959.
He was a member of the first wrestling team at Towanda High. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the Air Force where he specialized in electronics, telemetry, and drones. After leaving the Air Force, he was employed by Ryan Aeronautical Manufacturing in California as a technological representative liaison serving in the Vietnam War Theater.
He then was employed by Avco-Everett in Massachusetts specializing in ICBM re-entering space craft acquisitions, Rex-Op divisions and then IBM in Washington, D. C. in customer relations and Hamilton Standard as an aerospace technician. When he moved back to Towanda, he was employed by Shep Shaylor Surveying where he apprenticed for his lifelong career as a professional Land Surveyor. In 1969, he met and married the love of his life Gail Rockwell of LeRoy, PA, and they had a loving marriage of nearly 52 years.
After marriage, they followed engineering and surveying jobs around the country with T.D. Bross Construction and Engineering before settling in Berkeley Springs, WV, where he became licensed as a Professional Land Surveyor and launched his own business. Wanting to return home to Pennsylvania, he and Gail bought their home of many years Hickory Lodge in Trout Run, PA, and started a Pennsylvania surveying business which they operated for 44 years. In 2015, they built a home in Granville Summit on Gail’s family farm to retire.
His joy in life was the love of his family. In his earlier years, he was an avid hunter and fisherman and had a lifelong hobby of precision target shooting. He spent many hours reading and studying his bible and spent time tinkering on various projects and inventions. He held the first patent on retractable snow tire chains that are now more advanced and used on school buses and other commercial vehicles.
He is survived by his wife Gail, at home; a son Lee E. Franklin (Mandy), Granville Summit, daughters; Lisa Zdon of Towanda and Tammy Smiley of Wysox, 7 grandchildren; Sarah Rose Lantis, Santa Cruz, CA; Mallory Zdon, San Diego, CA; Leanna Franklin, Canton, Isaac, Eli, and Audrey Franklin of Granville Summit and Piper Ann Zdon of Towanda. He is also survived by brothers-in-law Roger Rockwell (Stephanie), Sayre, PA; Brian Rockwell (Kim), Cogan Station, PA; Robert M. Rockwell, Granville Summit, PA; and sisters in law, Susan Rockwell, Canton, PA and Kelly Nearing (Bob), Granville Summit, PA; a special cousin, Victor Franklin, Wysox, PA, and several cousins, nieces, nephews, and many friends as well as his beloved Australian Shepherds Major and Molly and cat Lydia.
He was predeceased by his parents and his mother-in-law and father-in-law Phyllis Long Rockwell and Robert J. Rockwell, as well as a daughter Rebecca Kashtan Dremann, Lynchburg, VA.
The family would like to thank Guthrie Hospice and the medical team at the Sayre VA Clinic. There will be a memorial service at a later date because of the current pandemic. Burial will be private. Pepper Funeral Home and Cremation Facility, Inc., 578 Springbrook Drive, Canton, PA 17724 is assisting the family with arrangements. In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to Animal Care Sanctuary, East Smithfield, PA, in his name. Please share your memories and condolences at www.pepperfuneralhomes.com.