Marshall Kelsey Franklin

Marshall Kelsey Franklin was born on June 16, 1934, in Michigan City, Mississippi. The first-born son to the late Kelsey and Elizabeth Dorse Franklin of Moscow, Tennessee. He spent his formative years educated in a one-room schoolhouse. He completed high school and graduated from Fayette County Training School. He continued his education by receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee. He later received 30 hours above his master’s from Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky. Upon graduation from Tennessee State University, he was employed in 1962 by Christian County Public School system in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. During his employment, he taught elementary and middle school science for 13 years. He spent 20 years as a high school guidance counselor at Christian County High School. Marshall was a life-long, faithful member of Freeman Chapel C.M.E. Church in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. While at Freeman Chapel, he was a dutiful servant for the church that he loved dearly. He served as a Trustee for over 50 years, Treasurer for 35 years, and Sunday School Superintendent for 27 years. He has served on the Connectional Board of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church for 12 years, as a Trustee for Phillips School of Theology for 15 years. 12 years on the Joint Board of Finance (Annual Conference Level) and elected three times as a delegate to the General Conference of the CME Church. In 1994, Bishop Nathaniel Lindsey asked him to attend the Jamaican Conference for 4 years, and on the fifth year, appointed on another assignment to gather information on the number of CME churches in the Jamaican conference. He also attended, as a delegate, to the World Methodist Conference in Brazil and Brighton England. He retired from Christian County Public Schools in June 1995. Survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Martha Dye Franklin. They were blessed with one daughter, Theresa Franklin-Hill, and one grandson, Nicholas (Alexis Williams-Hill). He also leaves behind one devoted brother, Dorsey D. Franklin (Jo Ann), a host of nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great nephews, cousins, and close friends.