John Henry Franklin

1951 - 2025

John Henry Franklin

July 3, 1951 - April 19, 2025

John Henry Franklin, age 73, passed away on April 19, 2025, surrounded by family.

Born on July 3, 1951, in Crossnore, NC, John (known growing up as Henry) was the fourth of five children of Roger and Thelma Franklin. He grew up in Pineola and later Marion, NC, with sisters Patricia and Rachel, and brothers Roger Lee and Hugh. Henry was a member of 4H and raised a prized dairy cow named Matilda. He had an early love for baseball and chess, playing first base at Glenwood High School and spending many hours playing chess with his father.

Starting at age 16, he worked in the Roses department store and as a school bus driver. Henry attended Appalachian State and earned a business degree in 1973. After graduation, he went to Alaska, where he already had family, and began a 40-year career with US Customs. John Henry was posted first at the Al-Can border in Poker Creek, Alaska, and later moved to border service in Washington State. There, he met and married another customs inspector, Dorothy Hinchcliffe, in 1982. In 1986, John became director of the Port of Anacortes, Wash., in the beautiful San Juan Islands, where he stayed for the remainder of his career. John and Dorothy raised two fine children, Roger Vance and Amy Katherine, and three vivacious and loving grandchildren, Maddox, Finn, and Audrey.

Near the close of his career, John accepted a transfer to Shannon Airport in County Clare, Ireland.

After serving there for two years and using vacations and even weekends to travel all over Europe, he returned to Anacortes and retired. After retirement, John and Dorothy spent several winters camping in Arizona, and later bought a cabin in Rockaway Beach, Ore.

John and Dorothy loved walking on the beach, playing games with their children, and being the 'no rules' grandparents to Maddox, Finn, and Audrey.

John Henry Franklin was interred in Anacortis near his family home.