Eugene R. "Gene" Franks 1927-2002

COOPER, FRANKS, STARK

Posted By: Marguerite (email)
Date: 11/27/2002 at 12:29:07

Iowa City Press Citizen / Cedar Rapids Gazette The Oelwein Paper

IOWA CITY

Eugene “Gene” R. Franks, 75, of 815 Page Street, died Saturday, November 9, 2002, at his home following a lengthy illness.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, November 14, 2002, at the Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service, 605 Kirkwood Avenue, Iowa City. Burial will be at a later date at the Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, Illinois. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. Wednesday. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Eugene R. Franks Memorial Fund.

Gene was born July 20, 1927, in Colesburg, Iowa, the son of George and Etta Cooper Franks. He married Ruth Stark on June 23, 1967, in Kahoka, Missouri. Gene was raised in Oelwein and Fayette and has lived in Iowa City since 1961. He had farmed and transported milk with his family at an early age. He served in the Army during World War II and had been a truck driver and maintenance worker. He was employed at the Press- Citizen for ten years, Hawkeye Food Systems for nineteen years and had farmed for John Dane for ten years.

He had attended Bethany Baptist Church, was a member of the Good Sam Camping Group and was an avid coon hunter.

Gene is survived by his wife Ruth of Iowa City;
seven step children, Charlotte Jameson and her husband Gregory of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Merle Christner and his wife Nancy Pink of Fairfax, Iowa, Nancy Shannon and her husband Kevin of Iowa City, Theodore “Ted” Christner of Tiffin, Kaylene Christner of Weaversville, California, Curtis Christner of Karlsrule, Germany, and Glenda Demerest and her husband James of Grand Prairie, Texas; thirteen grandchildren, Val, Monica, Amanda, William “JR”, Kevin Sean, Marilyn, Keelin, Kristopher, Jessica, Kevin R., Andrew, Aaron, Jacob, and Hailey.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one great grandchild, Christian “Alex”, and his daughter-in-law, Beverly Christner.