Mae Helen Franklin

Mae Helen Franklin 76 was born April 24, 1945, in Vancouver, WA to John and Rosetta Bishop, she was the 5th of 10 children.  Mae grew up in North Portland where she graduated from Roosevelt High School.

In 1963 she Married Otis Franklin in a courthouse ceremony in Vancouver, WA sharing the moment with oldest sister Mrs. Dorothy Hadley.  From their union, they would have two children a girl and boy; Mae spent a year in Anchorage Alaska where her son was born.

In 1965 she returned to Portland, Oregon with her two children determined to make the best life for her and her children, with the promise from her husband to return to be with her and the kids.  In 1969 Otis passed away in Anchorage AK along with the promise to stand by her side.

In 1970 Mae met Samuel “Moody” Birden and from their union they had a son.  Mae continued to work with several different employers to make a happy life for her family.  She loved her entire family and spent time to make sure her kids knew their family. Family unity was important to her, she loved her sisters, brothers, aunties, uncles, and cousins dearly and made sure her kids were involved in their lives.   When her kids had sporting events or special performances she was always there, her kids meant everything to her.  Her loved expanded to her kids’ friends as she would spend time with them too making all her kids’ friends feel like family.

In 1980 Mae would feel the loss of another love/partner in her life, as Samuel “Moody” passed away leaving Mae once again to make sure all her kids were taken care of.   1982, Mae welcomed her first grandchild and what joy it was for her to see her family grow, and her family would continue to grow with more grandchildren and great grandchildren.  As her family grew, they started calling her Honey, a term of endearment, an expression of the love they had for her.

In 1990 Mae purchased her first home, her hard work was paying off.  Her youngest son’s kids would call her “Mom’s House”, it’s funny when you think about the fact her son would say “We’re going by “Mom’s House”, so Mae was now be known as “Mom’s house”.  Mae loved it so much all grandkids and great grandkids started calling her “Mom’s house”.  She loved yard work; she had many kinds of flowers and rose bushings blooming all year.  Her favorite flower was Star‐glazer lilies.   She loved plants so much, that when her daughter sold her house, she dug up the red Japanese tree to plant in her own garden, that was a site to see, and that plant is thriving today.

In 2007 she would retire from Reed College after 20 years of services in maintenance.

Mae continued relationships with her childhood friends and friends she made in her adult life, once a friend always a friend.  She spoke with her sisters and friends all the time and it meant a lot to have them in her life.

Preceding her in death her loving parents, her brothers Kennard D Bishop, Harold D Bishop (Bernice) and Freddy Bishop.

She is survived to cherish her memory, her daughter Lisa Franklin Johnson(James), her sons Alonzo Franklin and Laru Birden(Aysaha Brown) all of Portland,  OR. Grandchildren Marcus, Tanaira, LaMika, Tanesha, LaRue, Kahlia, Shaeya, Nehemiah & Isiah and 6 great grandchildren.  Her Sisters Dorothy Hadley (Hurtis), Lorraine Bell and Beverly Bunn (Eddie); her Brothers Ronald Bishop, Randy Bishop and Bradley Williams and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
 

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