Annamae K (Kuhn) Franks

Annamae K. Franks, nee Kuhn, died in Homewood at the age of 96. She is survived by her children and their spouses: Elizabeth and Nicholas Tribuzio, Brooklyn, NY; James and Virginia Franks, Danville, IL; Kathryn and James Wehling, Homewood, IL; Margaret and the Rev’d Peter Hoyer, Bradley Beach, NJ; and Laureen and Keith Lamm, Lombard, IL. She is also survived by ten grandchildren: Jay and Phyllis Franks, Jennifer Ferguson, Larry Franks, Alison and Jason Morriss, Gina Wehling, Theresa and Graham Scott, Monica and David Sims, Elizabeth and Erik Silvius, Sean Lamm and Benjamin Lamm; ten great granddaughters: Emma Ferguson, Katherine and Jessica Franks, Jenna Franks, Natali, Taylor, Annalea, Lydia, and Jada Morriss, and Gabrielle Scott; four great grandsons: Joseph Scott, Lukas and Simon Silvius, and Jack Sims. She will be mourned by her sister Mildred Rosenbrock; her beloved and devoted helper Cora Moises; her “Beecher daughter” Janice Brands; and many nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents William and Annabelle Kuhn, her husband James, and her granddaughter Jill. Born on September 5, 1916, to William Kuhn and his wife Annabelle nee Ark in Chicago, IL, she grew up in Oak Lawn and attended Calumet High School. In 1932 she met Jim Franks at the Trinity Lutheran Church youth group and he took her to the prom in his dad’s Model A Ford at the Del Prado Hotel. They married on October 9, 1937, at Trinity Lutheran Church. The newlyweds resided in Oak Lawn where Jim worked for Commonwealth Edison Company. In 1946 the family moved to a farm in Grant Park and then, in 1952, to the farm on State Line road in Beecher . Annamae helped with the farming and took care of the children and household until the 1960’s when Karl Schmidt convinced her to start a hot lunch program at Zion Lutheran School in Beecher. For many years she was the editor of the Beecher Herald, where she was known as “Stateline Annie”. As a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Beecher, Annamae taught Sunday School for over fifty years. Her long life and relative good health enabled her to have an enriched life which she enjoyed to the fullest. In addition, her enthusiasm for real personal correspondence and cheerful notes of encouragement will no doubt continue for eternity. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Zion Lutheran Church, 540 Oak Park Avenue, Beecher, IL 60401 appreciated.