Jim Franks was my uncle, and what great uncle he was. Born in Sylva, NC he spent most of his adult life in the service of his country.
Jim served in the U.S. Army for 20 years and was a prisoner of war at the Battle of the Bulge in Germany during World War II. He was awarded a Purple Heart and The Bronze Star, along with other medals. He retired from the Army in the early 60's with the rank of First Sergeant. He continued to work for the Army at Arlington Hall Station as a civilian for another 20 years. After his retirement, he and his wife Ruth moved to Hickory, NC to be close to his mother-in-law, my grandmother.
My uncle Jim was a patriot who loved his country and wasn't afraid to show it. He taught me to take an interest in politics and my government. When he would come visit us on vacation he would take me fishing, taught me to play cards and would spend hours playing Monopoly with my cousin and I.
A couple of years prior to his death his daughter contacted the Army to get some of his medals replaced that had been lost over the years; it was discovered that there were several that he had been awarded but never received. The Army delivered 11 medals to him and several of the more prominent were re-presented to him at his church, Westview United Methodist Church, at a ceremony that was conducted by an Army colonel. I was honored to have presented him with his Bronze Star.
Jim is survived by his wife, Ruth Freeman Franks of the home; two daughters, Ruth Anne Broyles of Falls Church, Va., and Martha DeVous of Sacramento, Calif.; one grandson, John DeVous Jr.; a granddaughter, Michelle DeVous; a great-granddaughter, Monique DeVous, and two great-grandsons, all of Sacramento, Calif.; a niece, Joyce Williams of Winsto-Salem; and nephews Phil Hamilton of Statesville, NC and Bob Hamilton of Maiden, NC.
His funeral ceremony was conducted with full military honors with a detail from the 82nd Airborne from Fort Bragg.
Jim Franks was my uncle, and what great uncle he was. Born in Sylva, NC he spent most of his adult life in the service of his country.
Jim served in the U.S. Army for 20 years and was a prisoner of war at the Battle of the Bulge in Germany during World War II. He was awarded a Purple Heart and The Bronze Star, along with other medals. He retired from the Army in the early 60's with the rank of First Sergeant. He continued to work for the Army at Arlington Hall Station as a civilian for another 20 years. After his retirement, he and his wife Ruth moved to Hickory, NC to be close to his mother-in-law, my grandmother.
My uncle Jim was a patriot who loved his country and wasn't afraid to show it. He taught me to take an interest in politics and my government. When he would come visit us on vacation he would take me fishing, taught me to play cards and would spend hours playing Monopoly with my cousin and I.
A couple of years prior to his death his daughter contacted the Army to get some of his medals replaced that had been lost over the years; it was discovered that there were several that he had been awarded but never received. The Army delivered 11 medals to him and several of the more prominent were re-presented to him at his church, Westview United Methodist Church, at a ceremony that was conducted by an Army colonel. I was honored to have presented him with his Bronze Star.
Jim is survived by his wife, Ruth Freeman Franks of the home; two daughters, Ruth Anne Broyles of Falls Church, Va., and Martha DeVous of Sacramento, Calif.; one grandson, John DeVous Jr.; a granddaughter, Michelle DeVous; a great-granddaughter, Monique DeVous, and two great-grandsons, all of Sacramento, Calif.; a niece, Joyce Williams of Winsto-Salem; and nephews Phil Hamilton of Statesville, NC and Bob Hamilton of Maiden, NC.
His funeral ceremony was conducted with full military honors with a detail from the 82nd Airborne from Fort Bragg.
