Jessilyn Christine Franklin

Jessilyn Christine Franklin passed away suddenly on Sunday the twenty fourth in 2010. She has been a big influence in more lives than any of us will ever know. Through her life she has been and always will be remembered as a kind loving person who would do anything she could to bring a smile to the faces of others. Jessilyn Christine Franklin loving wife of Kelvin Don Franklin and mother of Gabriel Aaron Babb age 4. She is survived by her parents William and Jeanie Schmeichel and Tracey Lynn Lowden. Siblings Ronald "Rusty" Ratliff, William and Tracey Lowden, Shannon, Timothy and Grayson Lowden and various aunts, uncles and cousins. Surviving In-laws Laura Graves, Carylla Franklin, Marnie and Bethany Franklin. Jessilyn was preceded in death by her grandfather Ronald Ratliff Sr. Benji, Grandfather Rudolph Schmeichel, Nana Millie Singleton and Uncle Mike Scholl. In her early life she was a very rambunctious youth who had a love of life. Everything she did was with a wide eyed passion for enjoyment. Some of her greatest joys were to swim, dance, write, listen to music and spend time with her loved ones. During her high school years she was loved by everyone. Her closest friends valued her cheerful view on everything and often looked to her as someone to talk to. Through one of her closest friends she met someone who she fell very deeply in love with. They were together and loved each other for a year and a half before they parted. After her high school she spent several years learning more about herself and who she was. During this time she was diagnosed with a difficult chronic condition that she battled with and learned to overcome making her that much more of a stronger person. She had a brief marriage which produced the love of her life, her son Gabriel who became the focus of everything she did. In the years that fallowed nothing was more important to her than her son. She started college and focused on photography since it was a passion of hers. Some time later she sought out and redeveloped a friendship with her high school love. After regaining friendship with each other for many months they decided to venture farther and become lovers once again. The love and friendship that developed between Jessilyn and Don was one of beauty and inspiration that drove them on to accomplish great things together. They got married on May 16th 2009 in a wedding that is still revered as one of the most beautiful weddings ever held in the eyes of those who were there. The love that was expressed that day by Jessilyn and her new husband swelled the hearts of those around them and bound many people to her in stronger friendship than ever before. This time in her life was her most precious and loved and inspired time. She often remarked how she had never been happier and was where she wanted to be. With her son there with her loving and playing with her every moment he could and her husband loving and holding her and making her healthy in mind and body. Preceding this unexpected event she was and will always remain in our hearts a beautiful loving devoted mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend and spirit that touched and helped more people than she will ever know. She would always want to be remembered as the beautiful loving mother she strived to be. Jessilyn, you were the bright star that guided us showing others how not to hate or hold grudges but to love and forgive. You will be remembered, cherished and loved always. A memory written by Kelvin Franklin, Beloved husband to Jessilyn Franklin. In her early life I did not know Jessilyn. It was not till later that I came to know this beautiful soul. However, I do know from her parents, sister, brother and friends that she was not someone who was easily forgotten or ignored. She had a passion for life, experiences and friendship. During her High school years she was always surrounded by friends and bouncing around being chipper for the group around her. During those years I had the fortune and pleasure to have met her. I still remember to this day the first time I saw her she was bouncing up and down on a concrete bench chatting with another friend of mine. I walked up and she looked down at me all excited, she turned to our mutual friend and said This is Dracis? (a name I was known by at the time). Then she jumped down and hugged me. About half a year later we had decided to start dating. During our time together in those years we loved strong and lived happy. We became the iconic couple of that school and when we separated it created a division among so many people. It was never something we wanted but it was also a lesson to those around us that things of beauty can still have some thorns. We separated ways and went off for many years learning and growing. She went on to get married to another man a few years after our separation. She was married to him for three years and shortly before they separated the most wonderful joy came into her life. Gabriel was born on October 27th 2005. During the separation from her husband she entered one of her darkest periods of her life. She was lost and devastated. She spent a lot of this time re-learning who she was. She made many friends during this dark time that have been some of the most lasting friends as well. Sometime after her grieving and when she had regained a semblance of who she was, she contacted me. At first I was cautious, it had been a long time since we had really talked and it scared me. But she was always very persistent and persuasive. One of the greatest things that Jessilyn has always carried with her and displayed in every relationship she has is a great deal of love and beauty that could never be ignored or forgotten over time and often mended the most difficult of arguments or disagreements. We spoke and became friends again and slowly started to learn how different yet how similar we both were to the person we knew those years ago in high school. She spoke very often of her son Gabriel and his effect on her life. She told me how she was so scared when she first found out she was pregnant. It wasnt something she felt ready for. As her pregnancy progressed though, the fear started to change into a loving bond with the child growing inside of her. She always talked about how she felt so close to the baby and how wonderful it was during her pregnancy. After Gabe was born she told me how scary it was. She was a new mother who had no idea what to do. Her mother was a wonderful teacher for her during this time and Jessilyn was a good learner. As our friendship started to grow, she opened up to me more and more about herself and over time the spark that we had had those long years past in high school flared up and changed into something completely new and stronger than ever before. One night at a park sitting and talking about old times and new loves and passions we had a moment where we stopped and our eyes meet and there was just silence. She smiled at me with that smile that could melt ice in Antarctica and said Have you ever taken a chance on something before that scared you to death? I was shaking. I knew exactly what I wanted and I was terrified that she may not feel the same. or might feel it just as strongly as I did. In that moment I dont know what happened. I leaned forward and kissed her. My whole world melted and nothing existed outside of that kiss. She scooted over and wrapped herself around me, kissing me back with all the passion and love that I felt for her. The moment turned into eternity. In her arms I felt safe, loved, comforted. I felt as though there was no wrong in the world, that the love of this wonderful beautiful woman could forever keep things right. After talking for long hours after the kiss we decided to see where our love would take us. For many months afterwards we talked and learned and developed in our relationship with each other. After she felt comfortable with who I was and I felt comfortable with how stable we were together as a couple she introduced me to her son. That was an amazing day for me. He was such a bright little boy and chatted with me about all kinds of random things as babies tend to do. From that point forward her happiest moments where when she was able to have both of us in the same place with her. She often remarked, I could not be happier than with my boys with me at the same time. As time went on our relationship developed and grew. I began to learn what kind of an effect she had on everyone she came in contact with. As I began to know her friends, I found people who would do anything for her without thinking about it twice. She loved her friends and always celebrated with them when they were happy, cried with them when they were sad, hurt with them when they hurt and devoted herself to helping them when they needed it. We got engaged and began spending some of our free time coming up with our plans for how we wanted our wedding to be. She would get the most beautiful gleam in her eye when we would pull some idea together and it fit so perfectly into what we wanted to do. In the beginning of 2009 we decided it was time and we knew what we wanted to do. Though our stress levels went crazy during the two months prior to the wedding date, we never lost sight of what we wanted and what we were going to share with the important people of our lives. One of my fondest memories of that whole planning process was her wedding dress. We had complications with the first two wedding dresses we decided on and ended up going up to Alfred Angelo in Firewheel Mall looking for something we could get on extremely short notice. We had been there many times and tried on many dresses but didnt quite find the right one for what we could afford. This day was different. She picked out several and started to try them on. I dont remember whether it was the first or second or third, but when she put on the dress and came walking out of the changing room my heart stopped, my breathing stopped, my face froze and I knew that she had found what would be her wedding dress. Though she did try on others, she came back to that one and we ended up getting it. It just happened to be the right size, and the only one in stock, and on clearance due to being a canceled product line. The universe knew it was the dress for her and made sure she got it. Our wedding day arrived and she was all smiles and glow and beauty from the moment she woke up. She was stressed to the max, but happy and anxious. I ran around crazed doing last minute arrangements and putting things together while she got her last cosmetics together and changed into her dress. The first half of the day was a blur for us both. She told me later of her adventures and frustrations but that she was so happy it overwhelmed everything. Finally the moment came for us to walk down the aisle and be married. We both cried during our vows but got through them. She glowed so beautifully in front of me, holding my hand looking into my eyes. That was the greatest moment in my life, standing there holding my soul mate, the person who made me whole and loved me so unconditionally and so completely, her wonderful son who I had come to know and love running around close by playing with a camera and taking his own pictures of the moment. They say that there are moments in life where the world stops and nothing happens but an expression of emotions that make that moment last an eternity. This was one of those moments. Nothing existed outside of our beings coming together as one in that moment. During the beginning of this year we often discussed having a child together as we were growing closer as friends and husband and wife. We were both ready and anxious and just waiting for the right time. Our lives together and apart were amazing and adventurous at every turn. Our love for each other was born from these very experiences and from our bond in mutual affection and passion for each other. Our love is unique and everlasting and will forever be in my heart and the hearts of those who knew us. She left this world after touching the hearts of thousands of people through her life and that is something we should all aspire to. Service will be 11:00AM Saturday January 30, 2010 at New Hope Funeral Home, 500 E. Hwy. 80, Sunnyvale, TX. 75182. Family will receive friends at the funeral home Friday evening from 6:00PM - 8:00PM.