Mary "Jan" Davis Franks, 54, of Tifton lost her long battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) on Thursday, February 14, 2008, at her residence. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 17, 2008, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Rev. Mike Hobbs will officiate with burial to follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Russ Smith, Steven Weeks, Derwin Davis, Rusty Wishum, Max Franks, Justin Franks, Lee Cooper and Carl Davis. Honorary pallbearers will be Ronnie and Linda Greer, David and Mandy Carmichael, Tim and Becky Wiggins, Cole Childers. Randy and Regina Scarbor, Mike and Tammy Gibbs, Jerry and Melba Wishum, Robin and Mark Morrison, JoJo Keen, Kristy Redlinger, Jeanie Harnage, Lanny’s co-workers at Averitt and Paula and Craig Pate. The family will receive friends on Saturday, February 16, 2008, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Mrs. Franks was born on May 2, 1953 in Tift County and was the daughter of Carl Davis and Winifred Ramsey Davis, both deceased. She was also preceded in death by her father-in-law, James Wallace Franks; one brother-in-law, Bobby Jack Cofield; and one niece, Tina Cooper; and twins, Jeremy and Megan Franks. She was a dedicated nurse for Dr. John McCoy and Dr. Boyer for many years and also worked at Tift General Hospital for several years. Later, she owned and operated a day-care center, Jan's School, for many years, until her health began to interfere.
She was very talented in so many different areas; a super cook, loved baking birthday cakes and every new recipe (the more ingredients, the more of a challenge) - she loved it; a very good seamstress, decorator, and jewelry maker, especially bracelets. She was a member of New Covenant Church in Tifton.
Survivors include her loving husband of 37 years, Lanny Franks of Tifton; her mother-in-law, Maxine Tyson Franks of Tifton; two daughters and one son-in-law, Johnna Franks Barrentine and her husband, Ben, of Enigma, and Kayla Franks of Tifton; three grandchildren, Brady Barrentine, JoLynn Barrentine and Issac Franks, all of Enigma; two sisters-in-law and one brother-in-law, Wanda Franks Cofield and Diane and Ronald Pickens, all of Tifton; three brothers-in-law and their wives, Randy and Joyce Franks of Jesup, Ronny and Sherrie Franks of Cumming, and Lenn and Lisa Franks of Louisville, Tennessee; two brothers and their wives, Huby and Kay Davis, and Randy and Melinda Davis, all of Tifton; 20 nieces and nephews; and 15 great nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the ALS Association of Georgia at www.alsaga.org; 1955 Cliff Valley Way, Suite 116, Atlanta, GA 30329, 1-888-636-9940.