Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.
Ellen Judith Franklin passed away on April 20, 2019, at Ashley Manor in Hood River, Ore. Ellen was born on Dec. 19, 1936, and was 82 years of age at the time of her passing.
Ellen was born in Mannheim, Germany, to Marguerite and Berthold Feibelmann. In 1938, the Feibelmann family immigrated to the United States, settling in New Orleans, where Ellen lived until she graduated with honors from Newcomb College at Tulane University. Upon graduation, Ellen moved to Houston, Texas, where she secured a position as a medical technologist at M.D. Anderson Hospital.
While living in Houston, Ellen met a tall, good-natured fella from Tennessee named David Franklin. Dave and Ellen married in Houston on Aug. 20, 1960. Ellen eventually gave up her career to stay at home and raise their four children.
Ellen enjoyed knitting, sewing clothing for her children, and was an avid reader. She especially loved music — whether she was playing The Blue Danube on the piano she received from Dave on their first wedding anniversary, or singing along to the soundtrack of movie musicals. She often listened to the songs of Elvis Presley, and later the music of her children’s generation, ABBA and The BeeGees.
Ellen loved nature, especially birds, and could be found watching them from the back window. She enjoyed tending to her African violets and poinsettias, and planted her beloved irises at every home she ever had. When the Franklin family moved from Texas to New Jersey in 1969, Ellen sat on the plane with her four small children and a plastic bag containing carefully wrapped irises. Every spring, they bloomed in full glory, only to be dug up and transplanted, along with the family, to new homes in Maryland, Austin, Texas, and eventually to Hood River in 2009.
Most of all, Ellen loved her family and delighted in spending time with them. She was a loving, devoted wife to Dave for 50 years until his passing on June 23, 2010. She is survived by her four children, Karen Lowther, Stephen Franklin, Susan McCourt (and husband Wrayal) and Laurel Oglesby (and husband Barrett). She was a doting Mamaw to her grandchildren, Christopher Lowther, Michael Lowther, Caroline Lowther and Zane McCourt.
There will be private family memorials in Hood River and Austin, where her ashes will be commingled with those of her husband, Dave.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the Heart of Hospice Foundation, or a charity of your choosing C/O Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031.
Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson’s Tribute Center (Funerals • Receptions • Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River. Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
(0) entries
Sign the guestbook.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.