Finis Elwin Franklin

Finis Elwin (Frank) Franklin

April 13, 1949 - mAY 13, 2022

GREAT FALLS - Frank was born on April 13, 1949 in Medford, OR, to Parents Finis and Vivian.

The family moved to Helena in 1956, and Frank enrolled in Central School. After a couple of years the family moved to a house on Highland steet and he would attend Jefferson, Helena Junior High and Helena High schools. He was a good athlete, wrestling and swimming, he continued swimming for exercise his whole life.

Frank was a hard worker, even as a kid, selling newspapers at businesses on Main street. In March of 1968, Frank joined the U.S. Marine Corps, with his younger brother Gordon, on the Buddy program, they went through "Boot Camp" together in Camp Pendleton, CA, that year. His assignment was "0300 Infantry."

In June 1968, Frank found himself "in country" as it was called then, in Mike Company, 3rd Batallion, 7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division, stationed in Da Nang, Vietnam. Frank had three long months of search and destroy night patrols. On September 1, 1968, Frank was severely wounded by an enemy hand grenade.

Frank had grenade schrapnel all over his body including two large pieces of metal, one in his chest and the other in his foot. Doctors weren't sure at first if he would lose his foot. After five months and several surgeries he was walking again and used crutches for almost a year. Frank had permanent lung damage from the Dioxin in the Agent Orange, the chest wound and the tiny bits of schrapnel he carried for the rest of his life, this would come back to haunt him when he contracted Covid-19 in early 2022. Frank was awarded the Purple Heart for his injuries sustained in combat.

In 1970, Frank was a security guard at the Montana Capitol building where he met his ex-wife, Carla Tevis, they married in 1971, they have one son, Mike Franklin.

Frank worked many jobs all over Helena in the 1970s, at one moment in the early 80s he had three jobs at once. Working long hours helped abate the PTSD symptoms. The places he worked in this period were Jim Darcy school, The Montana High School Association, The Power Bock, Dapper Dans, The Hofbrau, Tubbs market and Club 21. He attended Carrol College for a few years, Majoring in business. In the early 80s Frank began working at the VA hospital, Fort Harrison in the kitchen and commisary. He enjoyed working with patients a lot, he retired from there in 2009 after more than 25-years.

He retired at 60, and did a great deal of traveling, a white water rafting trip down the Grand Canyon, and several cruises with his girlfriend of 15-years, Barb Pastian. In 2016, he made it to Washington DC, and paid his repects to fallen friends and comrades at the Vietnam Memorial.

Frank is preceded in death by his mother, Vivian; father, Finis; brother, Vernon; and ex-wife, Carla.

Frank is survived by his son, Mike Franklin of Belgrade. Brothers: Richard (Helene) Franklin of Reno, NV, Gordon (Sue) Spencer of Salt Lake City, UT. Sister, Janet (Jim) Sumner of Anchorage, AK. Girlfriend, Barb Pastian of Helena and her daughter, Bets Kruger and Bet's son, Dylan Kruger of Coalville, UT.

Frank's ashes will be interred at the Montana State Veterans Cemetary, Fort Harrison. Graveside service will be there at 2:00 PM, Monday, June 6, 2022.

See Frank's Vietnam story at simplecremationmt.com.