Troy Franklin

Troy Franklin

IN MEMORIAM TO TROY FRANKLIN

Troy Franklin passed away at home from natural causes on February 8, 2021.

Troy came into this world on a spring day in a small adobe hacienda in Mesilla, New Mexico on March 5, 1945. His parents were trying to do some farming in the Valley with his dad’s sister Ruby and her husband, Jesse Little.

After living in the mining camps of the Kingston mining district for some years, where his dad B. Franklin met and married Hazel Treadway, a springtime mine bride, the young family relocated to Mesquite, NM to help his aunt and uncle with the farm.

When Troy turned 17, he joined the Army, and was sent to Korea, where he served in the Operating Engineers, on the DMZ, and later was stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso. Troy moved to Alaska, lured there by the construction jobs in Prudhoe Bay.

He later was married to Kathy Wells, and they produced a great kid, a boy that was aptly named ‘Troy Junior”, or known as ‘TJ” Franklin. Troy and his family lived in a log cabin near the Chuit River, where TJ grew up as a small boy, fishing and snow machining everywhere. TJ grew up with his half brother Shadrack and their mother, Kathy, in Fairbanks, Alaska, where they still live today.

Later, Troy met Carol Johnson, his life partner, and they began their life together for the last twenty-five plus years. After retiring from Chugach Electric, they started, and Carol is still operating, a horse rescue ranch in Silver City, NM.

After a few years, Troy returned home to his beloved Alaska, for health reasons and to spend time with his old friends.

Troy never met a stranger. He was one of the most kindhearted and giving people you could ever hope to know. Troy will be deeply missed by all.

He has left his family behind, especially his local VFW brothers and sisters, whom he dearly loved. His surviving family, Carol, Amanda, Laura and Bob, Christina and Tiffany, TJ, Shadrack, Alaska, Rebe, Stacy, his sisters, Sharon, Sandra and Sonja; who tried to keep all of us on the ‘right path’, his brother, Dennis; his many nieces and nephews, Larry, Bruce, April Dawn, Billy Joe, Tauna, Richard, Garret, Jordan, Brian, Chad; a whole bunch of grandchildren, and his adopted brother and sister, Dave and Lee.

There will be a service and celebration of life at VFW Post 9365 in Wasilla, at 301 East Lakeview Ave., on Wednesday the 17th at 2pm. We welcome all to come join family and friends as they celebrate Troy’s life.