Dennis "Denny" Michael Franks

It is with great sadness we report the death of Denny Franks on July 30, 2015 from pancreatic cancer. He married the former Karen Petersen in Rantoul, Illinois in 1972 where they began their almost 43 year marriage moving many times for his career in the automotive industry. He started with a small used car lot in Rantoul, Illinois and eventually partnering in a number of dealerships in Illinois, Ohio & Colorado. They finally settled in Southern California where they have lived for the past 25 years. His real talent was an automobile auctioneer since he was a teenager starting with his father's Arena Auto Auction in Chicago and continuing throughout the country until 2013. In the mid 1990's he was one of the auctioneers operating from a studio in Orlando, Florida called "Auction Vision". Manheim/Chrysler operations sent an auction signal via fiber optic cable from the Florida studio to the Chrysler Dealer Network headquarters in Detroit. From the Motor City, the signal was transmitted via satellite to Chrysler Corp dealers. This was the start of the trend of dealers sitting at their desk buying automobiles without actually being at the auction. The technical part has been refined over the years and he was proud to be asked to be one of the two auctioneers in the country to test this method. He was born in Hayleville, Alabama on September 23, 1946 to Jim and Earlene Franks. He graduated in 1964 from RTHS in Rantoul, Illinois & in 1968 from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. He also graduated from Reisch World Wide College of Auctioneering which was founded by Joe Reisch in 1933 and attended John Marshall Law School in Chicago. He had a life long interest in horse racing starting with quarter horses and eventually owning a number of thoroughbred horses. He and his son Ryan aka Bub were a familiar fixture at the local race tracks in Southern California. If he wasn't at the track he could be found traveling to see his daughter, her husband and four grandchildren which he was extremely close. The older three looked up to him like a Father and knew he always was only a telephone call away. Our little surprise Baby K just knew he was her Pee Paw (The name she decided he should be called) She only had two years with him but they were full of fun. He is survived by his wife Karen of San Juan Capistrano, his daughter Tammy Hewes (Aaron) of Austin, Texas and his son Ryan (Bub) of San Juan Capistrano, Ca. His grandchildren Jake (Virginie) of Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, Nicholas, Ava Rose and Kelcey Elizabeth of Austin, Texas. His Father, Jim Franks of Munster, Indiana and his brother Jerry (Karen) of Prescott, Az .He was predeceased by his mother Earlene Franks & his two beloved schnauzers Pepper & Baby. As per his request here will be no service. Please join us in remembering Denny and view the McCormick & Son Video Tribute (link below) and share your thoughts and fond memories with our family below. http://videos.lifetributes.com/619785