of Petti Jean Mountain, AR

April 9, 1946 - January 14, 2023

Susan (Sue) Holloway Franklin, 76, of Petit Jean Mountain, Arkansas passed away after a short illness on January 14, 2023.

Sue was born April 9, 1946 in Greenwood, MS to Robert and Virginia Holloway. Her family moved around the Mississippi Delta before settling in Meridian when she was in 9th grade. She graduated from Meridian High School and attended Delta State University for a short time before starting a family in Meridian. She raised her four children alone with grit and resilience and then in 1986, married the love of her life, David Franklin and she raised his two children, Brandon and Andrew as her own in their home, while David took on those Crampton kids. She poured out unconditional love and acceptance to her children and all of their friends who showed up on 45th Street needing a compassionate soul in their life. Her endless and sacrificial love made all the difference in so many people's lives. Grandma to 12, they were the diamonds in her crown, she loved them fiercely and spoiled them too much.

Sue served as Lauderdale County Chancery Court Administrator for 30 years, where she lovingly (and sometimes sassily) wrangled attorneys and "her" judges, who were practicing law while she was practicing kindness, to those who entered her office. It is rumored that she retired only because she could no longer get ribbons for her IBM Electric typewriter. Following retirement, she moved to Petit Jean Mountain, Arkansas, where she was able to relax, enjoy and continue loving on her family and neighbors.

She will be remembered for her infectious laugh, her humor, her sage advice, her wit and wisdom, her fierce defense of her family, her armchair quarterbacking of her beloved Saints and her daily weather updates. If indeed one of our purposes in life is to shine a small, brief, but very bright light into the daily life of others, she achieved that purpose with grand success. That is her legacy and she finished strong.

Survivors include her children, Charles Crampton of Hattiesburg, Scott Crampton, Stephanie Crampton Buckley (Joe) of Petit Jean Mountain, AR, Chris Crampton of Petit Jean Mountain, AR, Andrew Franklin (Andrea) of Collinsville, MS and Brandon Franklin (Theresa) of Meridian, MS; her sister, Judy Smith (Richard) of Meridian, MS; her uncle, Buster Holloway (Joyce) of Indianola, MS; her grandchildren, Makenzie Crampton of Biloxi, MS, Cassidy Crampton and Tatum Crampton of Hattiesburg, MS, Finn Buckley and Hays Buckley of Petit Jean Mountain, AR, Tyler Crampton of Sweetwater, TN, Andrew Franklin, Austin Franklin and Alyssa Franklin of Collinsville, MS and Kennedy Franklin, Brandon Franklin Jr. and Willow Franklin of Meridian, MS.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and sister, Sharon Odom.

A celebration of life will be held on Petit Jean Mountain on February 11 and in Meridian, MS on April 8, 2023. Burial at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

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