Portrait of Jeanne Franks. IMB Photo

Jeanne Sheridan Franks, an International Mission Board missionary emeritus who shared the gospel in South Africa and Ethiopia, died Sep. 8, 2024, in Grand Junction, Colorado. She was 98.  

Jeanne was born July 23, 1926, in Cushing, Oklahoma, to the late Carl and Lucille G. Sheridan. She graduated from Cushing High School and received the Associate of Arts from Tarrant County Junior College (now Tarrant County College), Fort Worth, Texas; attended Texas Woman’s University, Denton; and received the Bachelor of Arts from North Texas State University (now University of North Texas), Denton. 

Jeanne professed faith in Christ at 11 years old. Her pastor, who was a retired missionary to China, encouraged her to read about the lives of missionaries. On May 6, 1944, she married a young, private first class in the Air Force, Jewel Nolan Franks. They moved to the Louisiana air base where he was stationed and became members of a local church. Through Sunday School classes and church discipleship programs, Jeanne began to learn about Baptist missions around the world. 

While seeking missionary appointment Jeanne wrote, “I have always had an intense interest in missions around the world, but I never felt a personal call until 1972. My husband has been chairman of the church missions committee since 1967, and his dream had been to furnish a home for furloughing missionaries. We were able to do this in 1971. That year…proved to be the spark which caused us to dedicate our lives to missions. The eight families who have lived in our two mission homes have been very influential in our lives.” 

In 1978, the International Mission Board appointed Jewel and Jeanne missionaries to South Africa, where Jeanne served in church and home ministry. They later moved to Ethiopia.  

Jeanne is preceded in death by Jewel, her husband of 65 years; and a granddaughter.  

She is survived by daughters Sheila (Dan) Brennan of San Angelo, Texas, and Carla (Joe) Mixon of Grand Junction, Colorado; three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter.  

A graveside service was held Sep. 14, 2024, at Cedaredge Cemetery in Colorado. 

Donations in her memory may be made to the Lottie Moon Offering, IMB, 3806 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA, 23230, or online at Generosity Resource Center – IMB Generosity. 

Read an obituary here.