Richard O. Franklin

Richard O. Franklin, age 84, of Yankton, South Dakota, died on Sunday, January 26, 2020 at his residence at Avera Majestic Bluffs Assisted Living. Richard requested that his body be donated to University of South Dakota Medical Center in Vermillion, South Dakota. A memorial service will be held at a later date.   Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Yankton. Richard O. Franklin was born September 25, 1935, in Munhall, Pennsylvania to Oliver and Helen (Nuss) Franklin. Richard grew up in Munhall and graduated from Munhall High School. After high school, Richard became the first member of his family to attend and graduate from college. Richard graduated from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1957 with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1958 during the Lebanon crisis, which ended that same year, but Richard continued in the Army Reserves until 1966.   Richard married Joyce Ebner on November 1, 1958 and together, with the help of their family and friends, built their house near Murrysville, Pennsylvania. Richard worked for US Steel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1957 until 1984. In 1984, he then began working for General Motors in Baldwinsville, New York and later in Adrian, Michigan. In 1994, Richard and Joyce moved to their farm near Utica, South Dakota. They loved being on the farm but decided to move into Yankton in 2011. Richard was a member of First United Methodist Church in Yankton and attended bible studies there, where he made many good friends.   Richard was a hardworking man who loved to build things including several buildings on his farm. He loved being on the farm attending to his small cow herd.   He was a do-it-yourselfer who loved working with his hands, making furniture for his family and doing electrical work for Habitat for Humanity. In his younger years he played the bagpipes in college and loved, racing Porsche’s and golfing while living in Pennsylvania, and boating on the Erie Canal connecting the Finger Lakes while living gin New York. Survivors include his two children: Cindy (Gene) Guenther of Yankton and Jim (Connie) Franklin of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; two grandsons: R.J. and Tyler Franklin; sister, Marge Matthews of Pittsburgh; sister-in-law, Judy Wehrer of Pittsburgh and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Joyce on December 29, 2018; sister, Barb Clifford and infant brother, Donald Franklin.