Rosa Lee Franklin

Asheville - Rosa Lee Wallin Franklin, 85, of Asheville and Lake Wales, FL died unexpectedly Wednesday, March 13, 2002 at Memorial Mission Hospital. She was born May 27,1916 to the late Malona N. and Hugh E. Wallin in Madison County. Mrs. Franklin graduated from Laurel High School in 1933, she attended Asheville Normal Teachers College and graduated from Western Carolina University. She retired after 37 years as an elementary teacher most of which was in first grade. Mrs. Franklin was loved by her students and was fondly known as Miss Rosie. Mrs. Franklin taught at Laurel Elementary in Madison County, Pisgah Elementary in Buncombe County and retired from Aycock in Asheville. She was a life member of North Carolina Association of Educators and the National Education Association. She was also a member and past president of Kappa Kappa Iota national teachers sorority. Mrs. Franklin was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Asheville. She was a winter resident of Lake Wales, Florida and was active in the Keen Agers senior citizens organization at Trinity Baptist Church. She also attended the afternoon coffee club in Lake Wales at Wal-Mart. Mrs. Franklin lived life to the fullest, at age 81 she purchased a computer, took classes and began e-mailing with family and friends as well as surfing the internet. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Franklin was preceded in death by her husband Glenwood R. Franklin who died December 21, 1992, brothers Carl Wallin, Joe Wallin, Arnold Wallin and Tom Wallin; sisters, Nell Franklin and Faye Wallin. She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Patsy and Emmitte Norton of Marshall and Joyce and Hugh Ledbetter of Marion; two grandchildren, Pam Lewis of Asheville and Daniel Norton of Weaverville; one great-granddaughter, Madison Rose Norton. She is also survived by two brothers, Houston Wallin of Salisbury and Steve Wallin of Cornelius; two sisters, Dorothy Medford of Asheville and Vanda Cook of Marshall and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Saturday at Anders-Rice Funeral Home with the Rev. Dennis Thurman officiating. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Funeral Home.