\tA memorial service celebrating the life of Edna Virginia Lee Franklin will be held at 3 P.M., Monday, June 12, 2017, at Temple Baptist Church, Ruston. Rev. Dale Oden, and Rev. Oda W. Tuck Roberts will officiate. Interment will follow in the Mineral Springs Cemetery with Rev. Jerry Whitman officiating. Visitation will be from 1-4 P.M., Sunday, June 11, at Temple Baptist Church. Services are under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Home of Ruston. Mrs. Franklin left this earth and went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, at her home, on June 6, 2017, at the age of 83 years. \tEdna Virginia Lee Franklin was born October 22, 1933, the third child of Vincent Otto Lee and Gussie Bullock Lee in Simsboro, La. Edna grew up on the family farm in the shadow of loving parents who worked hard to provide for her and her four cherished siblings. Edna attended school at Simsboro High School, graduating in 1951. During her years at SHS, she excelled academically, participated in 4-H and played basketball. Edna was an SHS Tiger through and through and enjoyed many class reunions as a member of the SHS Alumni Association.Edna was introduced to the love of her life, James L. Bo Franklin, by his cousin and her best friend, Mary Frances Cardwell. She married the handsome young man from Mineral Springs — the very one she vowed she would never marry — after falling head over hills in love with him. They wed in a simple ceremony at the home of the late Rev. A. H. Johnson in Simsboro on January 31, 1953, and enjoyed a wonderful life of 51 years together.\t\t\tBo and Edna established their home in Ruston and reared four children in a home filled with love and Christian guidance. As parents, they were active in their children lives, attending PTA meetings, little league ball games, piano recitals, Vacation Bible School, family outings and many other activities. Bo and Edna instilled strong work ethics in their children and tried to set an example of what it means to serve God by serving others. This service was displayed through the years as they both wore the title of Caretakers especially when it came to taking care of each of their parents. When Edna youngest child entered the second grade, she enrolled in Louisiana Tech and finished her education, graduating in 1970 with Suma Cum Laude honors and obtaining a degree in Elementary Education. She began teaching at Cypress Springs Elementary on August 31, 1970 and retired on May 31, 1997. She loved to teach and her second grade students held a very special place in her heart. She always enjoyed seeing her former students, getting hugs and relished hearing where life paths had taken them.As faithful members of Emmanuel Baptist Church for many years, Bo and Edna served in many capacities, teaching SS and Training Union, especially in the college department and serving as adoptive parents in the EBC College Adoption program. Many a Sunday night, the Franklin home was packed with students enjoying music, a game of Rook, and hot, homemade biscuits baked by Mrs. Edna. In recent years as a faithful member of Temple Baptist Church, Edna enjoyed the senior adult ministry and her Hand and Heart SS class. In 1984, Bo and Edna built their dream home in the Mineral Springs community that became the primary gathering place for the Franklin clan. This was the place for family gatherings, where grandkids could play, hunt, fish and where the best Granny ever would help them with their school work. They both loved working in the yard, planting flowers, especially day lilies which were their favorites. Edna loved her children, grandchildren and especially adored those special great-grandchildren, showering them with hugs every chance she got and spoiling them with sweet treats. Every grandchild and great-grandchild had the pleasure of being rocked to sleep, secure in her arms, as she quietly sang lullabies. She was loving, witty, compassionate, encouraging and stern when the circumstances called for it. She enjoyed music and was quite the fan of Celtic Thunder and Daniel ODonnell. \tEdna Virginia Lee Franklin is survived by her children: Greg and Tonda Franklin, Dubach, LA; Kip and Sharon Franklin, Choudrant, LA; Nancy and Mike Collie, Ruston, LA; Todd and Kendal Franklin, Dubach, LA. Her grandchildren: Jennifer Grafton and husband, Scott, Choudrant, LA; Halie Martin and husband, Adam, Dubach, LA; Jessica Lindsay and husband, Timothy, Monroe, LA; Ryan Collie and wife, Tabitha, Ruston, LA; Jamie Franklin and husband Eric Holley, Minden, LA; Bradley Franklin, Dallas, TX; Bethany Collie, Dubach, LA; Sara Grace Collie, Dubach, LA, and Joey Franklin and Felicia Nichols of Choudrant, LA. Her great-grandchildren: Connor Martin,Wyatt Grafton, Hannah Martin, Colton Beard, Cameron Wood-Collie, Micah Lindsay, Samuel Franklin, Tawney and Kyndle Nichols, and Kinsley Grace Collie. Special college adopted son: Jerel and Melanie Brown of Bowling Green, KY and their children, Laura, Nathan, and Lindsey and families. Her sisters: Margaret L. Simpson, Lafayette, LA and Barbara L. Kennimer, Houston, TX. Several nieces and nephews and a host of extended family and friends. \tEdna is predeceased by her parents, Otto and Gussie Lee; her husband, James L. Bo Franklin; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, James M. and Lou Jettie Dring Franklin; an infant child; her brother, Wiley V. Lee and wife, Gay; sister and brother-in-law, Mary L. Paige and Rev. Richard E. Dick Paige; and brothers-in-law, Charles Simpson and Glynn R. Kennimer. \tPallbearers will be grandsons Bradley Franklin, Adam Martin, Scott Grafton, Eric Holley, Ryan Collie, Timothy Lindsay, Joey Franklin and Nathan Brown. Honorary pallbearers will be Bobby Williams representing all of her second graders, and Ronnie Rodrigues representing Simsboro High School Alumni.\tA reserved section will be set aside at the memorial service for Simsboro High School alumni and Cypress Springs Elementary faculty who taught with Mrs. Edna.\tOnline condolences may be made to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com .