Frances Marie FRANKLIN

FRANKLIN, Frances Marie (Dunmire) 94, of Tucson, Arizona, passed away Friday, December 30th, 2016. She was born in North Bend, Nebraska on March 1, 1922, the first of three children (Frances, Alyce, Keith) of Russell Logan Dunmire and Margaret Honora (Watchorn) Dunmire. She lived in Coin, Iowa most of her childhood years, graduating from Coin High School in 1940. Her great-grandfather, Salathiel D. Dunmire, was one of the first settlers in the Coin area in the late 1850's. After graduating from Coin High School, she attended a nurses training school in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She realized after 1½ years that she just was not wanting to be a nurse. After this she was employed as a secretary by the British Ministry of Supply Mission in Washington, D.C. Patriotism was very big at that time, so Frances joined the Army (WAC) in 1943 at the age of 21 and served as a clerk typist in the Pacific Theater stationed in New Guinea, Philippines and Japan (she got to salute General Douglas MacArthur every morning because he was the commander of the General Headquarters there, she said he was a "real ham") during the occupation. While in Japan she met her future husband, James "Frank" in Okinawa. Frances was discharged in 1948 and had obtained the rank of sergeant. She was married to James Raymond "Frank" Franklin in Bossier City, Louisiana on May 23, 1948. They had five sons, James, Raymond, Jeffrey, Francis and Steven. The family moved around a lot as her husband was in the United States Air Force. They were stationed in Utah, New Mexico, Texas, England, Florida, Arizona and Morocco over the years. The family moved to Tucson, AZ in 1963 after her husband retired from the Air Force. For many years, Frances was employed at the offices of the Holbrook and Hill Medical Group and the office of Aero Rental. Frances was active in the WAC Vets, Mid America Club. Frances loved to travel and after her husband passed away in 1977, she went on many Elderhostels in the U.S. and other foreign countries. She was very privileged to go on an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. to visit the WWII memorial in 2013. Frances was preceded in death by her parents, brother, Keith Dunmire; sister, Alyce (Dunmire) King; sons, Raymond Franklin and Francis "John" Franklin. She is survived by her sons, James (Mary) of Corona de Tucson, AZ; Jeff (Joan) of Boise, ID; Steve of Gardendale, TX. She is also survived by five grandchildren and five great- grandchildren. There will be a private family military ceremony at Fort Huachuca, AZ. Arrangements by EAST LAWN PALMS MORTUARY.