Clintie Mae Franklin was born on July 17, 1928, to Ida and David Franklin in Clarksdale MS. She came to Chicago with her parents when she was 3 years old. She lived and grew up in Altgeld Gardens and attended and graduated from Carver High School. She often spoke about loving home economics in school. She was the oldest of eight children, 5 girls and 3 boys and they saw her as “ ma” because she truly helped to raise them all.

When she was 16, she met the love of her life, Billy K Smith, although she said originally she didn’t like him, he was too “thuggish” in her words. He was one of the Woodlawn” boys and mom was a proper girl. But he soon won her over and on June 17, 1951, they were married. To this union were born 4 children whom together they raised and loved. Clintie started study in the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses and in 1959 was baptized and she loved her new life. She soon won over Billy literally without “a word” by her good wifely conduct and in 1960 he became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses as well.

Clintie loved Jehovah, she loved the various congregations she attended with Billy and her family over the years and she loved the ministry. She became a regular pioneer (full-time minister) in the late 70’s and aided over 80+ individuals to become Witnesses too. She encouraged many younger Witness sisters to become full-time ministers as well. She loved to entertain friends and family and the pictures you see indicate just

how much she and her husband were loved entertaining. She literally witnessed to everyone she met and came in contact with in her home and loved to tell them all about how God’s Kingdom ruled by Jesus Christ will soon bring an end to death and suffering and make this earth a wonderful paradise. She had a song she used to sing when she walked through the house, her own words, but the gist of the song was that she thanked Jehovah everyday for allowing her to know him. She loved taking care of her home and welcoming many people, family and friends to it, and loved entertaining them in her beautiful well manicured yard with its many flowers trees, shrubbery., because she loved gardening and making things grow. She was a wonderful cook and She loved to bake cakes and everyone knew that when they came to her house, they’d get the best piece of old fashioned butter pound cake that she'd just baked. She adored shopping of all kinds especially thrift stores. She and dad used to go thrift shopping on Mondays. She loved to sew and taught her daughters how to and she became a furniture reupholsterer and enjoyed redecorating her home and others too. That’s just a glimpse of who Clintie was.

Within the last 5 years of her life, Clintie’s health deteriorated to where she could no longer walk or take care of her self but she knew she could depend on her children and her husband to assist in whatever she needed. She fell peacefully asleep in death surrounded by her family, at home on Thursday, October 28, 2021. She will be missed dearly by her husband and family and the wealth of friends that loved her. We’ll see you soon Clintie! We love and miss you Mom!!!

She leaves behind her loving husband Billy of 70 wonderful years, her eldest son BIlly K. Jr, son Steven, daughter Roxanne Franklin(Ray Jr). She is-preceded in death by her daughter Cheryl (Harold). She is also preceded in death by 3 sisters, Edna, Inez and Eloise . Her grandchildren are Rachell Smith, Raven Smith, Raymond Franklin III (Kimyetta), Byron Smith, 3 brothers, David Franklin, Donald Franklin(Dorothy), Jimmy Franklin (Rae) and her sister Ida Hyland (Bryan). and she leaves many nieces and nephews and family and friends who cherish her memory.