WILLIAM P. ?BILL? FRANKLIN

William P. ?Bill? Franklin, 89, of Richmond, MO died Saturday, October 4, 2014 at his daughter?s home in Fairway, KS.
Bill was born on July 7, 1925 in Sedalia, MO to Forrest Clay and Carrie Price (Welch) Franklin. He married Elaine Antoinette ?Toni? Hamel of Rutland, VT on April 9, 1955; she preceded him in death on November 15, 2007.
Survivors include, two sons and two daughters in law, Bill and Susan Franklin of Dayton, OH and Colin and Kim Franklin of Blue Springs, MO; three daughters and one son-in-law, Anita and Bill Hodson of Richmond, Elisa Franklin of Rantoul, IL and Felicia Isaacs of Fairway, KS; three sisters, Janet Haller of Prairie Village, KS, Pat O?Bannon of Marshall, MO and Judy Hendricks of Columbia, MO; 12 grandchildren; and 7 great-grandchildren.
In addition to his parents and wife, Bill was preceded in death by one daughter, Denise Franklin who died in infancy; and one sister, Forestine Lockhart.
Bill was a Command Sergeant Major of the United States Army, serving 30 years before retiring in 1973. He was a well decorated veteran of WWII, Korean War and the Vietnam War. He was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Bill was also a member of the Shirkey Golf Club. After serving in the military and living in several places around the world, he moved to Richmond in 1973.


Funeral services will be Wednesday, October 8, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Richmond. Visitation will be Tuesday, October 7, 2014 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. where the rosary will be at 6:30 p.m. at Thurman Funeral Home in Richmond. Burial will be in the Swan Lake Memorial Gardens in Grain Valley, MO where military honors will be provided by the Fort Leavenworth Honor Guard. On line condolences may be left on our website at www.thurmanfuneralhome.com