Mary Franklin

Mary Catherine Franklin was born on August 6, 1938, in Ozark, Alabama, to Bessie Martin and Hubert Morris. As a young woman, after meeting Elijah Franklin, the love of her life, she relocated to Newark, New Jersey. 

On July 10, 1957, Mary and Elijah were joined in holy matrimony. This union was blessed with four children: two daughters, Anita and Felicia, and two sons, Kelvin and Elijah. 

Mary was a faithful member of Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church in Roselle, New Jersey. She was an active member of the Senior Missionary ministry. 

She was employed at Emerson Quiet Kool and Breza Bus Company in Woodbridge, New Jersey, where she retired. 

With a bright spirit, Mary lit up any room she stepped into. She shared her love with family, close friends and many others she met along the way. As a mother, she was selfless and loving, and she worked hard to ensure that her children were equipped with the tools they needed to be successful in life. In addition to spending time with her family, she enjoyed spending her days watching soap operas, including her favorite, “The Young and the Restless.” 

Mary departed this life on December 21, 2023, at JFK University Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Elijah; her oldest son, Kelvin; her brother, Thomas Martin; and three sisters, Mildred Justice, Elizabeth Shipman and Annie Britt.  

She leaves to cherish fond memories her two daughters, Anita (Charles) Farmer (Colonia, New Jersey) and Felicia Turner (Loganville, Georgia), and her son, Elijah (Yolanda) Franklin (Lincoln University, Pennsylvania); five loving grandchildren: Sharonda Anderson, Alessia (Mike) Hudson, Dr. Charles (Delores) Farmer, Taliyah Turner and Taevon Turner; and numerous great grandchildren. She also leaves to cherish her memory four sisters-in-law: Mildred Franklin (Colonia, New Jersey), Lorine Glanton (Rahway, New Jersey), Margaret Franklin (Edison, New Jersey), Linda Franklin (Newark, New Jersey) and Irene Pitts (Newark, New Jersey); two brothers-in-law: Nathaniel Franklin (Newark, New Jersey) and Bobby Glanton (Rahway, New Jersey); and a host of other relatives and many loving friends.