George Eugene Franklin was a common man. He insisted on carrying himself in a manner that no one would question the fact. We both had that in common. However his love for his fellowman and at risk youth in particular was far from common.
From his education and experience he was appointed the prestigious position of heading the Roanoke division of Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC), a national program organized in 1964 by Dr. Leon Sullivan. This was followed by his passionate work to eventually heading Roanoke City School’s Alternative Education Program at Lucy Addison High School. His love for swimming resulted in his summers and eventual year-round teaching swimming at Roanoke City Parks and at both local YM and YWCA. With like-minded associates he formed several community organizations including Rebuilding the Black Community (RBC) and West End Men’s Association of former residents of old Southwest Roanoke, mostly retired professionals. This professional organization undertook various key projects throughout the city.
This distinctively different and unique individual will ever be remembered differently by each of the innumerable lives he has touched and subsequently influenced in some way. This common man was a very serious individual that he tried to hide behind habitual jesting that kept one guessing whether or not he was serious about some not so humorous comments. He also had a very tender heart that he quite successfully hid behind his gruff, sometimes seemingly offensive (but guaranteed attention-getting) demeanor. Many who saw through it loved him dearly. Many others respected him highly in spite of it and there are even those who resented trying to avoid facing characteristic traits of our own which we recognized in him.
Whatever the sentiment, without question George Franklin was a common man with extraordinarily uncommon love and loyalty to this community as a whole that none can deny. So here’s to a fallen common “Unknown Soldier” on life’s brief battlefield – “known but to God.” George Eugene Franklin passed away Saturday, September 22, 2007. He was 74.
