Charles Reuben Franklin

Charles Reuben Franklin, 98, a resident of Luverne, Alabama, passed away peacefully at Troy Regional Medical Center on Thursday, July 18th, 2024. Funeral services for Charles will be held at 11 AM on Monday, July 22nd, at Centenary Assembly of God with Rev. Ervin C. Russell officiating. He will then be laid to rest beside his beloved wife in Centenary Cemetery with Turners Funeral Home of Luverne directing. The family will receive friends at the church on Monday for one hour prior to the service.

Charles was a member of our Greatest Generation and therefore was witness to some of our country's highest and lowest points, from the Great Depression to the economic boom following the war and from 9/11 to inventions they once only saw in science fiction. What an amazing 98 years to live through and he has left behind an incredible example of what kind of man and human everyone should inspire to be. Charles proudly served with the United States Army during the Pacific Theater of World War II, so he not only saw some of the most brutal fighting of the war but also victory in Japan as part of the original occupation force. It's no wonder his family fondly refers to him as the "last of the real men."

Back home following the war, Charles went to work on his own farm and continued to work it well into his advanced years. He stayed fit and active and believed the only good day was one in which you managed to break a sweat through hard work. He was just never one to let the grass grow under his feet. If he wasn't farming, then he was going to be tinkering on something, whether it was a car engine or a washing machine, if it was broke, he could fix it. He was certainly a man of many talents who could actually fix nearly anything or build whatever he set his mind to. Needless to say, he was a strong-willed man whose mind was could rarely be changed. Those beautiful blue eyes he was blessed with most definitely also came with a spine made out of solid steel!

With the public at large, Charles was more of a quiet, reserved type man, but he emanated pure love when it came to his family. He adored the love of his life, Nelle, as the only woman for him, and took excellent care of all of his children, particularly his daughter, Kathy who was born needing that extra love and care throughout her life. But he was especially proud of his beloved grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. There was nothing better than being their "PawPaw," and he never failed to show up for them so they knew they always had his support....despite his preference for being a homebody. While Charles's "hobbies" were what most of us would see as just more work, he did enjoy watching a good football game, whether it was the Alabama Crimson Tide or his grandson's team, as well as his baseball team. Above all, there was nothing more important to him than his family and they knew exactly how much he cherished all of them. He was the rock his family was built upon and he will be missed more than he could have possibly imagined.

Charles was preceded in death by his wife, Nelle Surles Franklin; granddaughter, Anitra Franklin; parents, Reuben Parks & Lessie Mae Rhodes Franklin; and siblings, Ben Franklin, Lyman Franklin, Loraine Carter, Marie Boyd, Jewel Franklin, and Doris Walitalo. He is survived by his children, Wayne (Edwina) Franklin, Kathy Franklin, and Melissa (Matthew) Waters; grandchildren, Stephanie (Shane) Waters, Ryan Waters (Kaitlin Bartlett), and Summer Waters (Ethan Pfleger); great-grandchildren, Taylor (Ashton) Causey and Brittany (Michael) Gatlin; great-great-grandchildren, Ethan Waters, Caleb Causey, and Raelynn Causey; and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

Active pallbearers will be Ryan Waters, Matt Waters, Shane Waters, Ethan Pfleger, Ashton Causey, and Michael Gatlin. Honorary pallbearers will be Jim Tranum and Allen Bowen.