Mary Franklin

Mary Etter Rosenbaum Randermann Franklin, 85, of Brenham, passed away August 18, 2016 in College Station.

Funeral services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Saturday, August 20, 2016 at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, with Pastor Phil Fenton and Harry Briscoe officiating. Burial will follow in Prairie Lea Cemetery.

Visitation is scheduled for 6:30 until 8:30 Friday evening at Memorial Oaks Chapel.

Mary Etter Rosenbaum Randermann Franklin was born in Rehburg, Washington County Texas. She was the daughter of August and Rosa Lee Wilkening Rosenbaum, she was baptized March 15, 1931 by Pastor C. A. Lahne and confirmed on October 8, 1944 by Pastor Paul Czerkus - her confirmation verse was Ecclesiastes 12:13, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. This was at St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Rehburg. Mary also received her education at the Rehburg schools.

Mary married Charlie Randermann on June 26, 1949 at the Zion Lutheran Church of Zionsville by Rev R.J. Weber who was also a dear friend. Charlie preceded her in death on July 3rd 2003.
Mary married Felix Joe Franklin August 17, 2009. Joe has one daughter Mary Deborah Pitts who Mary loved as her own.
Mary worked as a clerk in stores early in her years and in 1961 she and Charlie started C&M Grocery on Hwy 290 West for 23 years and enjoyed serving friends and people. That was so dear to them and was never forgotten. She also worked at Maddox Furniture Factory, Sealy Mattress, and Toubin Brothers Department stores. She retired from Sealy Mattress at age 65 and worked part-time 4 more years.

Mary was a member of Zion Lutheran Church of Zionsville for 55 years. In 2002, she became a member of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brenham, Texas. Mary was a member of Ladies Aid and enjoyed helping and visiting the elderly. She always loved helping someone and went over and above to help anyone out.

Mary and Charlie had 2 sons: Charles Bruce and Christine and Michael Henry and Cindy, all from Brenham, Texas. Mary loved Christine and Cindy as the daughters she never had, and they also loved her very much.

Also surviving is her husband, Joe Franklin; her grandchildren: Megan Randermann Wells, Andrew Randermann, Orry Randermann, Rinn Randermann, and Amanda Randermann, as well as seven great-grandchildren. She is also survived by brothers Earl Rosenbaum and wife, Jeanette, and sisters-in-law Ella Mae Love and Virgine Rosenbaum.

She was preceded in death by Ruby Boyd and husband, Horace; Juanita Seilheimer and husband Allen, Geneva Hermann and husband Alvin, Lonnie Rosenbaum and wife Alvina; Irvin Rosenbaum and Willie Rosenbaum.

Serving as pallbearers are Andy Randermann, Orry Randermann, Rinn Randermann, Jerry Herrmann, Darryl Herrmannn, and Tom Boyd. Honorary pallbearers are the St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church Ladies Aid Members.

These are Mary's words:
I loved flowers, gardening and I loved people, through things that grow it is very beautiful. Older people are beautiful, they know so much because of living a beautiful life, not an easy one...God knows that.

We pray as a gift, a blessing that strengthens and sustains us on our journey towards wholeness. In prayer we open ourselves to God, laying our needs before him, expecting God to respond with loving care. So also the flower opens itself to the source of life and receives the sunlight, the warmth, and the moisture that allow it to develop and mature. The flower in the symbol is based on an orange blossom, which in addition to receiving so much also gives - it's beauty, it's fragrance, and it's promise of the fruit to come; fruit that is itself beautiful, refreshing, and beneficial to both body and spirit. This image symbolizes prayer as an empowering force for life's journey, itself symbolized by the lines setting forth from the stem.
P.S. Kids don't be sad, I am happy because I had a good life with you two and daddy. Thank God! I am happy because I have y'all. Love, Mother

Funeral arrangements for Mary Franklin are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main, Brenham. To post a tribute to the family, visit www.memorialoakschapel.com.

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