Abbie Fraley Franks

Mrs. Abbie Fraley Franks, 73, of Macon, MS passed away on Thursday, April 5, 2018 at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, MS.  Abbie was born on December 14, 1944 to Dorothy Wilkins Fraley and the late Charles C. Fraley in Macon, MS where she lived all of her life. She was a graduate of Macon High School, Class of 1962, and also of Mississippi State University, Class of 1967, with a B.S. degree in Education. Abbie went on to receive her Master’s in Education from MSU in 1991. She began her teaching career in elementary education at the public schools of Noxubee County before transferring to Central Academy in Macon. After serving for many years at Central Academy, she moved to Earl Nash Elementary School to complete her thirty eight year career at Noxubee County School District. Abbie loved teaching children, and it was reflected in her students’ love for her. In September of 1966, Abbie married the love of her life, Ronald Franks, with whom she shared the ups and downs and laughter and tears of life for the past 51 years. She was a longtime member of Cooksville United Methodist Church where she played the piano and taught Sunday school. She was an active member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and received the Macon Junior Auxiliary Hall of Fame Award at the 2008 Charity Ball. Abbie was always at the center of the group, laughing and cutting up. She never met a stranger and always made everyone feel welcome in her home and at her church. After she retired from teaching, Abbie pursued hobbies of investigating her family’s history and genealogy, knitting, cooking, reading, and working in her yard and garden. Her favorite hobby, however, was seeing just how much quality time she could spend with her family, especially her granddaughters. Abbie was loved by all who met her, and her quick wit and infectious laugh will be sorely missed at future church and family gatherings.

Abbie’s funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 7 from Cooksville United Methodist Church at 4:00 P.M. with a time of public visitation beginning at 2:00 P.M. and lasting until service time. Bro. Glenn Miller will officiate at the service. Interment in the church cemetery will follow the funeral. The family requests memorials to please be made to St Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675-8517. Cockrell Funeral Home of Macon is honored to be entrusted with the service arrangements.

Abbie is survived by her husband: Ronald Keith Franks; her mother: Dorothy Wilkins Fraley of Macon; two sons: Ron Franks (DezaRae Arrington) and Jeff Franks (Carrie) of Macon. She also leaves to mourn her passing her sister: Patty Fraley McAlexander of Independence, MS; her two beloved grandchildren: Layla and Laurel Franks and a number of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father and by her brother: Charlie Fraley, Jr.