Nancy Harmon Franklin, 88
Nancy Harmon Franklin, 88, Christian, beloved wife, sister, mother, grandmother, friend and coach's wife, went peacefully to our Lord April 10, 2025, in McMinnville, Oregon. God graced Nancy with a full life of committed love, married almost 69 years to her best friend and husband, Don.
She was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but grew up in Kalispell. Daughter of Tom and Lois Harmon, Nancy learned grace and courtesy, yet was still capable of mixing it up with the boys. As a young girl, she loved to fish with her dad, and this affection continued throughout her life with Don. As a young woman, Nancy enjoyed golfing, swimming, dancing and singing. After high school, she attended the University of Montana, studying business for one year, until choosing to spend the rest of her life as a homemaker, a coach’s wife and assistant.
After her children began school, she ventured into the corporate world to support her family financially. With kindness and a knack for order, she served customers and colleagues alike in many businesses, including Smith Corona (Tacoma, Washington), health clinic (Orting, Washington) dental office (Polson), First Interstate Bank (Kalispell), Palmer High School (Palmer, Arkansas) and finally, accomplishing a dream of owning a business, Homespun (Wasilla, Arkansas), selling fine yarns, supplies and serving the community with instruction. However, what really animated her life was supporting, loving, and serving Don. This was evident from their early dating in Kalispell, where this "cute little gal" was repeatedly encouraged to "take care of 'Don/Donny/Coolie'" in most high school annual comments. Nancy did this with great loyalty and love until Don's passing, July 2024. Consequences from this dedication were countless adventures throughout the west, via Don's coaching career, RVers for Christ and just plain old restlessness. She was Don’s faithful friend through it all: "A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter: he that has found one has found a treasure" (Sirach 6:14). Almost as consistent as Don by her side was her knitting.
Surviving Nancy are her three children, Debra Ann (Dale Reed), Kim Mack and Don (Kimberly); her sister, Mary Ellen (Harmon) Barr; sister in-law, Mary Ellen (Bowers) Chandler; nine grandchildren, Gary, Angela, Michelle, Zack, Chase, Jacob, Leah, Lacey and Jenna; 21 great-grandchildren, Auna, Zachariah, Ethan, Hudson, Holden, Hadley, Kinley, Colsen, Emerson, Mackson, Oakland, Rowan, Phoebe, Hunter, Molly Sue, Liam, Lukas, Logan, Ellie, Isaac and Luke; and one great-great-grandchild, Adam.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Don; her parents, Tom and Lois Harmon; sister, Jane (Harmon) Johnson and brother-in-law, John Barr.
So many friends and family prayed Nancy through her transition and continue to pray for her soul, of which the family is eternally grateful. Special thanks to the Rock of Ages Assisted Living care team and Signature Hospice, in McMinnville, Oregon, where Christ's commandment to "love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12), was witnessed every day.
A graveyard burial service will be held at 11 a.m. on April 22, at Conrad Cemetery, Kalispell, within the splendor of the Rockies Nancy knew and loved.
See you later Mom.