Betty Franks, born Margaret Elizabeth May, was born to Cecil May and Margaret Hinckle in October 1925. When she was 8 years old, doctors told her parents she would not live past the age of 10. On the morning of June 21, 2015 Betty passed away at the age of 89.
From ages 8 to 13 Betty lived with her Grandmother in Tujunga, California. She later moved back to Los Angeles, with her parents and brother, and attended Glendale High School.
Betty Franks, born Margaret Elizabeth May, was born to Cecil May and Margaret Hinckle in October 1925. When she was 8 years old, doctors told her parents she would not live past the age of 10. On the morning of June 21, 2015 Betty passed away at the age of 89.
From ages 8 to 13 Betty lived with her Grandmother in Tujunga, California. She later moved back to Los Angeles, with her parents and brother, and attended Glendale High School.
After the war, Betty went on a blind double date and was supposed to be set up with a friend of John Halen Franks “Hal.”
When Hal arrived for the date, he took one look at Betty and informed his friend they were switching dates.
Betty and Hal fell in love and were married in 1947. They raised two children, Susie and Robbie, in Glendora. Betty spent her days as a full time mother and an active member of Grace Episcopal Church; she was on the Altar Guild and the Embroidery Guild.
Betty and Hal fell in love with Catalina and began spending their summers sailing to the Island with their kids in the late 1950s.
In 1974, they purchased The Hen House. Later, they bought The Catalina Bronze Company and started Catalina Candy Co.
They worked their businesses over the summer while living on their sailboat in Avalon Harbor. During the winter, they loved to travel.
They visited nearly every continent on their adventures together. Later, Susie was married and had Betty and Hal’s first grandchild: Mikey.
Betty and Hal loved Catalina so much that they decided to become locals in the early 1980’s. Along with their son and daughter-in-law, in 1990, they established the gift store: Catalina Confetti and helped to run their store until 2013. Betty managed finances and helped with the purchasing of merchandise for the store.
She worked alongside her son and family as a dedicated business partner at Catalina Confetti before retiring.
In her free time, Betty love to garden, spend time with friends, travel and, more than anything, she loved spending time with her family. Betty and Hal helped raise three grandchildren on the Island: Chrissy, Kasey and Jillian.
Betty had a great sense of humor. While Hal was gregarious, Betty was understated and wonderfully quick witted.
Betty was a loving and patient wife, mother and grandmother. She had a lovely spirit and a beautiful heart.
Betty was a prayer warrior; she prayed daily and had a heart after God’s own.
Betty is now reunited in heaven with her husband, daughter, grandson, and son-in-law. Betty is survived by her son, Rob, and her three granddaughters: Chrissy, Kasey and Jillian.
A celebration of life was held Wednesday, July 1 at the Avalon Community Church.
