Maxine Tyson Franks (Mrs. J. Wallace Franks), 89, of Tifton, passed away Monday, May 27, 2019, at her residence. Her funeral service will be held Thursday, May 30, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with the Rev. Jimmy Franks, the Rev. Marshall Kennedy and the Rev. Dale Bishop officiating. Mrs. Franks will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesday, May 29, 2019, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Mrs. Franks’ grandsons, Rusty Wishum, Russ Smith, Lee Cooper, Justin Franks, Max Franks, Denver Franks, Christopher Thornton, Mark Swanson and Lance Sudduth will serve as pallbearers. Honorary Pallbearers will be members of the Tifton Gideon Camp.
Born November 21, 1929, in Tift County, Mrs. Franks was the daughter of the late Raymond Harold Tyson and Lena Mae Wynn Tyson and lived on Rural Route #4, east of Tifton, all of her life. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her husband, James Wallace Franks; son, Lenn Madison Franks; two brothers, Elder Charles Tyson and Harold Tyson; two sons-in-law, Ronald Pickens and Bobby Cofield; one daughter-in-law, Jan Davis Franks; and three grandchildren, Jeremy and Megan Franks and Tina Cooper.
Mrs. Franks was a retired home maker, devoted mother of six children, 12 grandchildren, a great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother. She was also an active member of Corinth Freewill Baptist Church in Brookfield, Director of local chapter of the American Red Cross for over 20 years, operated the Blood Mobile for many years, operated an exercise salon in Tifton, wife of a WWII Navy veteran, brother to a fallen Vietnam veteran, true servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, Gospel Singer (Convention Style) and the sweetest person you could ever meet. She loved to travel the USA with family and friends.
Mrs. Franks is survived by her daughters, Diane Franks Parten (Ronald Parten) of Ashburn and Wanda Franks Cofield of Tifton; her sons, Lanny J. Franks of Tifton, Randy Franks (Joyce Drawdy Franks) of Jesup, Ronny Franks (Sherrie Brewer Franks) of Jasper and Lisa Koella Franks (Lenn) of Sanibel, Florida; her sisters, Betty Ruth Tyson McMillan of Enigma and Margaret Tyson Willis of Tifton; her brothers, Billy Tyson (Dixie) of Snellville and Arthur Lee Tyson (Catherine) of Sharpsburg; two sisters-in-law, Faye Franks of Fairburn and Faye Ogletree of Tifton; one brother-in-law and his wife, Lehman and Ruby Franks of Franklin, Kentucky; 12 grandchildren, Geriann Wishum Weeks, Rusty Wishum, Myra Wishum Smith, Lee Cooper, Johnna Franks Barrentine, Kayla Franks Brantley, Justin Franks, Gina Franks Thornton, Max Harold Franks, Anna Franks Swanson, Alena Franks Sudduth and Denver Franks; 17 great-grandchildren, Brittini, Heather, Wran, Hayden, Grace, Will, Brady, JoLynn, Isaac, Tyson, Candice, Blair, Wilhelm, Wyatt, Paisley, Ross and Ella; and six great-great grandchildren.
In addition to flowers, gifts may be made in memory to the Gideons International, Tifton Camp, P. O. Box 7051, Tifton, GA 31793; or to Corinth Free Will Baptist Church, 3216 Chula-Brookfield Road, Brookfield, GA 31727.