Gladys V. Franklin

Gladys V. Moseley Franklin, 83, left this earth on Feb. 22, 2011, the same day on which she made her entrance 83 years ago. Mrs. Franklin passed away at her home in the arms of her loving husband, Bill. Gladys was born and raised on the Keystone Ranch located near Karval, Colorado to F.Y. Moseley and Ester Christine Lofdahl Moseley. She graduated from Hugo High School in 1946 and completed her educational career at Brown’s Business College located in La Junta. She was active in the family cattle business and still owned a portion of the Keystone Ranch at her death.

Gladys was an avid supporter of rodeo and won several rodeo queen titles which included Miss Rocky Ford, Miss Hugo and Miss Colorado State Fair runner- up. She loved her horses, gardening and spending time with her grandchildren. Her family was her life.

She worked for a time in Reno, Nevada as a legal secretary and on October 3, 1951 married Bill Franklin, the love of her life, in Eads, Colorado and enjoyed 59 years of marriage until her death. She became a devoted mother and together they raised their three children. The family traveled the continental United States extensively due to Bill’s occupation as a pipeline construction foreman.

Gladys is survived by her devoted husband, W.H. (Bill) Franklin of the La Junta home, children, Melody (Edward) Garlington, William Howard Franklin, Jr., and Michael Young Franklin (Maria Russell) all of La Junta, 10 grandchildren, Brian (Brandi) Garlington of Bermuda Dunes, CA; Christine Garlington (Robert Terry) of Henderson, CO; Ashley Garlington of Denver, CO; Melody and Jennifer Franklin of La Junta; Sam Franklin, Crystal Franklin, and Preston (Brittney) Franklin all of Rocky Ford; Ashleigh Franklin Sanders of Pueblo, CO and Michael Franklin (Heather Walter) of Pueblo West, CO; nine great grandchildren, one sister, Gloria Joyce Moseley Harmon of Rocky Ford and numerous nieces and nephews.

Gladys was preceded in death by her parents, four sisters, Mazie Pedot, Dixie Thompson, Jean Callahan and Lois Skipper, and a niece and nephew. 

Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home and Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Wild Horse Preservation at www.wildhorsepreservation.org.