- Date Of Birth: January 8, 1921
- Date Of Death: September 18, 2006
- State: Maryland
On Monday, September 18, 2006, Benjamin L. “Pop-Pop” Franklin, of Millersville, Maryland, passed away at Baltimore Washington Medical Center; he was 85-years old. A veteran of World War II, he overcame injuries sustained during the war to later attend Morgan State College. Subsequently, in 1957, he became one of the first African-American correctional officer’s in the state of Maryland before retiring in 1982. During his retirement years he remained active as he enjoyed hobbies such as gardening and woodworking. As an avid sports enthusiast, he almost never missed a baseball or football game broadcast on his satellite dish. For entertainment Benny could be found listening to some of his favorite jazz musicians on his stereo where he would often refrain, “They don’t make music like that anymore.” An aficionado of electronics, he kept abreast with all the latest technology from iPod’s to plasma screen televisions, a tradition he has passed on to his children, nieces, and nephews. A nature lover at heart, Benny was a true outdoorsman. No, he was not a hunter. However he loved animals from the family of deer which frequented his acreage to his beloved Boston Terrier’s Pete and Freddie. He would often say that he and the animals living down there with him have to co-exist.
