John Julian Franks

John Julian Franks

April 9, 1929 – December 13, 2021

When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.

~Tecumseh

Dr. John J. “Jack” Franks, of Nashville, TN and Denver, CO, 92, died Tuesday December 14 after a brief illness. Jack was born in Pueblo, CO to Lila and Frank Franks of Trinidad, CO. In 1951, Jack married Kathryne Jean Sammon; they shared five children and were married 47 years at the time of her death in 1999. Jack married Mary Lou Hawkins in 2004, they divorced in 2015.

Jack was a prodigy on the trumpet, playing with high school bands as a young boy and playing taps for funeral services in Trinidad, including for Civil War veterans. He also earned extra money playing in a dance band in the 1940s. He loved music and learned to appreciate an eclectic array of music, especially as he got older.

A lifelong learner, researcher, and teacher, Jack wrote 65 peer reviewed publications and 3 not peer reviewed, he produced more than 120 abstracts, presentations, or posters, and was invited to review, present, or write chapters more than twenty times. He was a skilled grant writer which was key as much of his research was funded through grants.

Jack traveled the world, often with Jean, as he presented his research at meetings as well as when he served as visiting faculty. They even squeezed in some trips for pure pleasure. He served as trip doctor for many Wilderness Society trips, finding joy in camping and canoeing which he shared with his family on many subsequent trips

Jack was preceded in death by his daughter Kathryne E., his wife Kathryne Jean, his beloved parents, Frank, and Lila, and only sister Norma Lee. He is survived by his children John A. (Pamela), William T., Margaret L. Jimenez (James), Elizabeth E. Anderson (Donald), grandchildren John (Jen), Alison Hope (Dan), Cuinn Anderson, great grandchildren Jaxon and Kaleyn Franks and Daniel and Charlotte Hope.

Jack loved deeply and enjoyed time with his family and friends. He particularly enjoyed his grand and great grandchildren. His humor, wit, persistence, and breadth of knowledge will be missed by all who knew him.

Education        

1984 – 1986       Resident in Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
1963 - 1964      Research Fellow in Medicine, Harvard Medical School and the

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts

1955 - 1958      Resident in Medicine, University of Colorado School of

Medicine, Colorado and Denver General Hospitals, Denver, Colorado

1954 - 1955      Intern, Second (Cornell) Medical Division, Bellevue Hospital, New York, NY
M.D.  1954      University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado
B.A.   1951      University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado

Military Service 1954 – 1989, Retired Colonel, USAF

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