Clara Wright Franklin, age 75, transitioned into eternal life on January 23, 2019 at McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, SC after an enduring battle with metastatic cancer. She was born on March 1, 1943 in Bennettsville, SC to Carroll Harrington and Mamie Hester Wright. Clara graduated from Eastside High School in Bennettsville in 1961.
Because she understood very early in her life that education was an essential key to success as a young African-American woman in the south, Clara went on to obtain her Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree from Friendship Junior College in Rock Hill, SC, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from Morris College in Sumter, SC, and a Master of Education (M. Ed. ) degree from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC.
Above all, Clara was a faithful servant of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She was raised in St. Beulah Baptist Church in Bennettsville, serving on the youth choir and the usher board. She later joined Shiloh Baptist Church, also in Bennettsville, and served for many years on the mass choir.
Clara spent much of her Christian journey as a faithful member of Savannah Grove Baptist Church in Florence, SC. She served as a member of Missionary Board, Vespers Choir, the Culinary Committee, the Sanctuary Choir, and received the Stewardship Coordinator Award for the 2006 Women’s Day events. Clara was extremely close to her Savannah Grove family and her faith was the anchor of her life.
Clara’s professional life was a life of service. As an educator, she instilled its importance into the minds of the children whom she served, taught, and later mentored. Likewise, Clara instilled the same into her three children, who did not have a choice in whether they were going to college, but only in the choice of which college to attend.
She would often express pride in her two sons and her daughter as they earned degrees from Francis Marion University, the University of South Carolina (where both sons served as student body president during their time in college there), the University of South Carolina School of Law, Duke University Law School, and Harvard Business School. Clara balanced professional success and motherhood with tremendous skill, always rooted in Christ. The consummate educator, Clara received recognition for outstanding service for teaching elementary education in public schools in South Carolina and North Carolina for 43 years.
She received Morris College’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1980, and served as Recording Secretary for the Class of 1961 Reunion Committee. For the 2004-05 school year, she was named Peterson Elementary School’s Teacher of the Year in recognition of her incredible gifts and dedicated service to the teaching profession. During her career, she was also a member of the South Carolina Education Association and North Carolina Education Association.
Clara was a master teacher and never stopped patiently listening, learning, and educating all who she encountered. Anyone who knew Clara also knew she was a proud, longstanding member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Fittingly, she served as the Chaplain of the Florence Alumnae Chapter, receiving the chapter’s Outstanding Service Award in 2017.
She always spoke fondly of her pride in the amazing accomplishments throughout history of Delta women and was particularly pleased that her only daughter, SoMonike, chose to become a lady of the “crimson and cream”. Clara was formerly married to Dr. James A. Franklin, Sr. and three children were born of this union. Left to cherish her memory are her children, James A. Franklin, Jr. of Florence, SoMonike M. Franklin of Columbia, and Jamel “Mel” R. Franklin, Sr. (Monekia) of Upper Marlboro, MD.
She is also survived by two brothers, William “Bud”. D. Wright of East Orange, NJ and John “Buzzy” W. Harrington of Boston, MA, and one sister, Ethel L. Peterkin of Bennettsville.
She is survived by four grandchildren, Sierra Summer, Anna Noel, Jamel Jr. and Alexis Elise, and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. Clara’s family and friends will miss her deeply but, know that she was a good and faithful servant of the Lord and is at rest with our ancestors in Heaven. To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of Clara Franklin, please visit our Tribute Store.
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