George Franklin

YOUNGSTOWN — George William Franklin, 83, died peacefully Tuesday morning, April 14, 2020, at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital, following an extended illness.

He was born March 22, 1937, the son of George and Ida Conway Franklin Cox. George was raised on the South Side of Youngstown. He attended St. Patrick’s grade school, where he was an altar server, and South High School. George was an Army veteran and worked for McKay Machine Shop and Wean Industries as a machine fitter for over 30 years.

George married the former Elizabeth M. “Betty” Pavlick , the love of his life, in 1960. They would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary May 7, 2020.

He was a member of St. Brendan Church in Youngstown. George enjoyed fishing, boating and the outdoors. He loved spending time with family and friends at their camp on the Clarion River. George was a proud lifelong Notre Dame fan and fondly cherished memories of time spent with family and friends at games in South Bend.

He enjoyed coin collecting and woodworking. Some of his most prized projects were the wooden toys he made for his grandsons. George was a “jack of all trades.” There was nothing that he could not fix. His three daughters were his “helpers,” despite George always joking that he needed a son. In time, George was blessed with four grandsons who stepped in to work alongside their Pop Pop. He passed on his craftsman’s knowledge to his daughters and grandsons.

George leaves his wife, Betty; three daughters, Loretta (Nick) Uroseva of Austintown, Colleen (Scott) Calhoun of Erie, Pa., and Elizabeth “Liz” (Allan) Fowler of Indianapolis, Ind.; two brothers, Thomas (Sandy) Franklin of Inverness, Fla. and Chuck (Doreen) Cox of Lyman, S.C. ; and four grandchildren, Nicholas and Mark Uroseva, and Sean (Marisa Carlone) and Ryan Calhoun.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George Franklin and Ida Conway Franklin Cox; stepfather, Charles Cox; and his three sisters, Nell Forsythe, Ellen Fitch and Grace Hoffman.

The family would like to thank the nurses, respiratory therapists and doctors who cared for George during his final days. In these exceptional times, where his loved ones could not physically be with him, they were a comfort to the family. Special thanks to “our angel,” Cathy Hughes RN, who has known George since she was a little girl. Her being there to check in on him, holding his hand with a comforting familiar voice in his ear, meant more than can be said.

A memorial mass will be held Thursday, June 18, 2020 at 11 AM at St. Brendan's Church. Interment will take place at Calvary Cemetery.

Arrangements are by the Higgins-Reardon Funeral Home Austintown Chapel.