James McArthur 'Mack' Franklin passed away at his home in Non on Thursday morning, November 17, 2011, at the age of 68 years.

Mack was the son of James Albert Franklin & Mabel Annie (Hopkins) Franklin, born on October 19, 1943 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. His formative years were spent in Drumright, Oklahoma and in Porterville, California, where he graduated high school in 1961. He joined the U.S. Army and served during the Vietnam era, and returned to California when his military service ended. He attended Contra Costa College in Contra Costa County, and then West Coast Bible College in Fresno, graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Theology, and entering a long and illustrious ministry.

Mack pastored churches all across the country and abroad, in California, Alabama, Germany, Georgia and Oklahoma. He married Judy Ballard on April 13, 1997 in Abbeville, Alabama. They resigned the pastorate in Abbeville and came to the Free Will Baptist Church in Non, Oklahoma in September of 2010, where Mack served faithfully until his health failed in the summer of 2011. The difficulty of that time was made so much easier for both Mack and the family by the caring people of McCourtney Hospice in Ada and Holdenville Home Health, and we are sincerely grateful to them.

Mack was an uncommon man, and one who had something in common with everyone he met. He was interested in everything and was an avid reader of any written material he had opportunity to read - Western cowboy stories, histories of the world, biographies and mysteries, cereal boxes, periodical and magazines - and first and foremost, the Good Book. He enjoyed woodworking and gardening, loved fishing with his son, and especially loved music and singing. He never tired of singing, anytime and anywhere, with any group large or small, and was always delighted to sing with his family. He left this life too soon for us, but filled his years here with countless memories left behind for us to treasure.

He is preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Albert Bartlett Franklin and Bill Franklin; one sister, Carolyn Franklin Hinesley.

He is survived by his wife, Judy, of the home; four children: Brian Keith Franklin (Marna) of Oklahoma City, Renee Franklin Clark of Abbeville, Alabama, Jeremy Ray Franklin of Grand Junction, Colorado and Kelly Bernard Bishop of Abbeville, Alabama; two grandchildren, Kennedy Lea Franklin and Jack Dennis Franklin, both of Oklahoma City; one sister, Kathryn Franklin Martinez of Cushing, Oklahoma; nieces and nephews, other relatives and many, many friends.

Funeral services will be Sunday, November 20, 2:30 p.m. at the Free Will Baptist Church in Non, and Mack will be laid to rest in the Non Cemetery. Rev. Bill Adcock is the officiating minister. Pallbearers are Tim Abney, Tony Abney, Will Cook, David Byrd, Jim Martinez and Ken Singleton.