Theophilus Franklin

THEOPHILUS "TooToo" FRANKLIN was born September 9, 1946, to the union of Archie Franklin and Mary Alice Franklin, née Ware, in St. Louis, MO.

He was the oldest of three children. His siblings were Wilhemena Granberry, of Fairview Heights, IL, who preceded him in death, and Valerie (Mark) Dowdy, St. Louis, MO. He was baptized at the Friendship Baptist Church on Tudor Ave, in East St. Louis, IL, where he was also raised and educated in the city of East St. Louis, IL, District 189 Public School System. He attended Dunbar Elementary School, Hughes Quinn Jr. High School, and graduated from Lincoln Senior High School. He also attended Southern Illinois University, where he majored in Mathematics.

He was a veteran of the Vietnam War, having served in the Army from May 1968 to May 1972. He received two purple hearts and the Medal of Honor before being honorably discharged from service.

In 1978, he met Toni Darnay Hicks. The two married and raised three daughters.

He was always mechanically inclined, and after his discharge from the Army, he studied automobile mechanics. For several years he worked at Wallace Service Station in the Central West End of St. Louis, MO. As was his father before him, he was an avid gardener. He was employed as a horticulturist at Eckerts Farm in Belleville, IL. He later started a business as a landscaper in Fairview Heights, IL. He also worked as a custodian at St. Clair Square in Fairview Heights, IL.

He is survived by three daughters, Latoya Graham, Devvine Franklin, and Charnele (Darryl Jr.) Godfrey of Belleville, IL. He had five grandchildren, whom he loved very much.

In his retirement years, he moved to Jennings, MO. He was very active in the community garden in his neighborhood. His lifelong passion was fishing, and he thoroughly enjoyed fishing in the lakes and ponds in his community in Missouri and Illinois. He had a friendly, outgoing personality. He loved talking to people and would give good counsel to his nieces and nephews. He made friends quickly and was loyal in his friendships. He often reached out to his cousins and relatives near and far; he loved his family. He particularly loved keeping up with and passing on his family's history. He leaves to mourn his passing a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends and will be greatly missed by all.