Clarence (Larry) Christian Franck, Jr.

Clarence Christian Franck, Jr (Larry)

April 18, 1932 – February 18, 2026

Larry was the proud son of Clarence C Franck, Sr and Dorothy Berger Franck. He grew up in Swarthmore, PA with one younger brother, George Martin Franck with whom he shared a life-long friendship.

Larry’s formative years included frequent visits with extended family in Baltimore and projects with his father and brother such as designing and finishing the basement with an O-gauge Lionel model train display extraordinaire and building a shuffleboard court in their backyard. Larry played trumpet in the Marching Band and Orchestra. A life-long love of boats and life on the water began after WW II in 1945. The family spent 4-day summer weekends on the Chesapeake Bay on their 30’ wooden cabin cruiser named LAMAR (for LArry and MARty).

He proudly graduated from Swarthmore College with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, despite his advisor wondering aloud if Larry was majoring in Engineering or his Dance Band. He played trumpet and led a group who became life-long friends playing Big Band music of the 1940s and 50s.

After college, Larry served proudly in the US Coast Guard. He completed a lighthouse inventory on the Great Lakes and supervised construction of a LORAN station in Turkey that mapped the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea for safe and effective submarine endeavors. He was very proud of his Coast Guard service and loved to tell stories of these days.

As a handsome young man in a USCG uniform, he met and married Joanne Carol Hunke in April 1958. They had a long, joyful, fulfilling and adventurous marriage for 35 years.

He had a long career with DuPont in Waynesboro VA and Wilmington DE pioneering the use of Tyvek. Beginning with applications for mattress spring covers and sterile medical/ surgical packets. His career finished with successful printing for house wrap and mailing packages which are seen and used every day all across the country (and the world).

Larry was a faithful employee, but his heart was always at home with Joanne and his four children: Wendy, Sue, Chris (CCF III), and Steve. Life on their 8-acres in Kennett Square PA was full – soon there were sheep, ponies, goats, chickens (including a fresh egg delivery business at a nearby retirement community for his young children) and horses. The manure provided hours of work for the kids, and nutrients for an abundant 1-acre fruit and vegetable garden. Larry kept his growing young boys busy with Christmas tree and wood splitting businesses, and the horses were replaced by horsepower. A pool and woods provided years of activities and fun for friends and Youth Groups as his children grew. Joanne’s gift of love for young children and their parents filled the property with laughing preschoolers as their own four children went off to college. Larry supported and cheered her success as Small World Preschool grew.

His love of boats and the water eventually led to a waterfront home on the Northeast River they called “Bayside”. New adventures of motorboats, water skiing, wind surfing and sailing ensued. Uncle Marty came from the West Coast for sailing and niece Landy spent many summers with the East Coast Francks. Sunsets were a highlight of every day, and activities centered around gathering for cheese and crackers to watch the sunset. Joanne, a prolific writer, often sat in the evenings next to “my friend the River” to put thoughts on paper sharing events or ideas that have blessed others – even to the present.

Larry joyfully retired from DuPont in 1985 at the age of 52! New freedom for projects and the title of “Cookie Monster” at Small World made for a joyful second career, and he thrived. Soon adventures extended to include warm winters in Florida filled with sailing on their 36’ Catalina named Whisper with Joanne and friends and Marty. There were sails with porpoises, sunsets, singing in the choir, and creating a “singles and doubles” community at his church.

His family grew to include sons-in-law Lee and Steve; daughters-in-law, Cindy, Gina and Dina. His quiver filled (eventually) with 11 grandchildren: Carol Ann, Alicia, Elizabeth, Matt, Greg, Catie, Colette, Christian (CCF IV), Josh, Taylor and Dom.

Larry fulfilled his vows “in sickness and health ‘til death do us part” as he walked graciously with Joanne through cancer until her death in 1994. He became an “artist in pressure-treated wood” building retaining walls at Bayside and playgrounds/playhouses for grandchildren along the East Coast.

After reconnecting at their 50th High School reunion, his first-ever date, Bicky (Marlen) Thompson Gaskill became his second wife. They enjoyed a North-South-Florida-South-North annual rotation enjoying children, grandchildren, family events, sun and sailing for 10 years. He again fulfilled those vows as they journeyed through her Congestive Heart Failure and her death in 2014.

Children, grandchildren, chocolate chip cookies, and eleven great-grandchildren have filled his last decade: Annalyn, Shelby, Corrie, Wade, Rowan, Emelia, Wes, Lena, Severn, Solomon, Margeaux. He proudly (and almost exclusively) wore t-shirts inscribed with “My favorite people call me Great-Grandad!”

Larry had his own years-long journey with Congestive Heart Failure. With the faithful support of his medical team, his children and a team of wonderful “Larry’s Angels” (like Charlie’s Angels, but better 😉), he was able to live at home – at Bayside – enjoying the majesty of the Northeast River, sunsets, eagles in flight, and Henry the Heron. On February 18th, he peacefully took his last breath and finished his earthly journey. He passed from his children’s arms to the arms of Jesus.

Larry and Joanne had themes in their lives which Larry carried on until his last days.

• A deep and abiding love for family and drawing others in as part of their extended family
• A love for music – big band, orchestral, organ, classical, choral and church (especially hymns)
• A vibrant faith community in and through the local church (in every location and every phase of life – from childhood through Zooming in for Bible Studies and Prayer Meetings with his Florida church from Covid days through his last week).
• Designing and building and creating – always and everywhere

…and recruiting others to join him in all of those endeavors.

CC Franck Jr, Larry, Beary, Dad, Grandad, Great-Grandad, brother, Uncle, friend, child of God, and Cookie Monster... he loved well, was well-loved, and will be dearly missed.