Wilmot, NH – Raymond R. Franklin of Route 4A, passed away Saturday, March 1, 2008 at his home. His wife Joanne was at his side, as were some friends and his trusted bird dog, Bess. Ray was born December 27, 1955 in Ashtabula, Ohio, the oldest child of Richard and Ann Franklin. Ray graduated from Hingham High School and received a B.S. degree from the Univ. of Massachusetts.
Ray fulfilled a longtime wish of living in Alaska. He settled in Fairbanks, built his own house and had 7 wonderful, adventurous years as a surveyor. In 1987, he packed up his 52 Chevy truck and drove it eastward to New Hampshire to get married. He built a cap for the truck which he camped in it on his trip; one side of the cap was lettered, “Joanne and Ray – August 29, 1987” and the other side was lettered, “The 3rd Franklin Expedition.”
His love of woodworking led him to build timberframe houses with area companies and to be a craftsman building furniture for Dana Robes in Enfield, NH. In his workshop, he enjoyed creating furniture for family and friends. He made a cherry reading area for the children’s area of the Wilmot Public Library and he enjoyed building a timberframe barn for his parents when they lived in Wilmot. He loved the game of baseball and was a lifelong fan of the Boston Red Sox.
Above all else, Ray loved his family and his home. He was a loving and devoted husband to Joanne, and father to Matthew and Abigail. He was loyal to his community and volunteered whenever he could. He was a member of the First Congregational Church of Wilmot, The Elkins Fish and Game Club, and was a past board member of the Wilmot Community Association. In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by his parents, his sister Margaret, his brother Peter all of Tryon, NC, and his brother Paul of Bath, ME and nieces & nephews and an extended family including his in-laws, plus many loyal friends.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 8, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at the First Congregational Church, Wilmot, NH. If coming, please do not wear black; Ray hated black! Burial will be in Bunker Hill Cemetery, Wilmot in the Spring.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the NH Food Bank, 62 West Brook Street, Manchester, NH 03101, or the Wilmot Community Association, P.O. Box 23, Wilmot, NH 03287. Chadwick Funeral Service of New London, NH is assisting the family with arrangements. To sign an online guestbook, please visit www.chadwickfuneralservice.com
