Smucker, Franklin Isaac (1875-1960)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1960 May 12 p. 8

Birth date: 1875 Jun 14

text of obituary:

FRANKLIN ISAAC SMUCKER

Franklin Isaac Smucker was born the tenth child and sixth son of Jonathan P. and Salome Peight Smucker on June 14, 1875, on a farm near Knox, Starke county, Indiana. Within a few months the family moved to Nappanee, Ind. where his father served the West Mennonite church as minister and bishop for 15 years. Here he grew up, and in his teens was baptized in a stream known as Yellow Creek, and received into the fellowship of the Mennonite church of which he remained a faithful member all his life.

In the year following the death of his mother in 1893, as a young man of 19, he came to Bureau county, Illinois. There, on Dec. 5, 1897, he was united in marriage with Mary Elizabeth Albrecht of Tiskilwa. They started farming southwest of Tiskilwa. On this farm they celebrated their golden wedding in 1947. They took time out in 1916-18 for mission work at the Mennonite Orphan's Home in West Liberty, Ohio, where he had charge of the farm and buildings the first year, and was acting superintendent the second year.

He was consistently active in the Willow Springs Mennonite church and in the community. In 1894 he introduced into the congregation four-part singing, and also English singing. He was always interested in children, and when in 1907 a Children's Department was added to the Sunday school, he became its first superintendent remaining there for many years. He is remembered by many for the children's meetings he conducted on Sunday evenings or during special church services. Later he was active in organizing and promoting summer Bible school. He served the Willow Springs church in many capacities, and each for many years: as church trustee, Sunday school superintendent, teacher, and chorister. He also served on the board of the Mennonite Old People's Home in Eureka, Ill.

In the community he was interested in the schools, and here too he served long as a director. He was interested in progressive and new farming methods and machinery. In 1928 he was given a Master Farmer award by one of the midwest farm magazines. In his later years he grew nursery stock; he grew and planted the spruce and arbor vita now growing on the Willow Springs grounds.

On the walls of the study in the new home built on the farm in 1921 he had 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God” painted in the original Greek letters. Out of this study came nature articles for the Youth's Christian Companion and most interesting and encouraging letters to his children away from home. Letters were sent to other young people and to missionaries all over the world. He enjoyed writing “Correspondence” letters for the Mennonite Weekly Review. He shared with many his interest in trees, flowers, and birds. He raised gourds for wren houses and sent seeds to interested parties all over the United States.

In the fall of 1947, he and his wife came to Morton, Ill. where his companion passed away in 1948. He then interested himself in books, flowers, and in visiting his children. During the last three years he lived with his oldest daughter Ruth, Mrs. Carl Magnuson. The second daughter, Dr. Esther Hodel, also lives in Morton. His son Mark lives in Wheaton, Ill. and Milton in North Vernon, Ind. There are 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He passed away quietly on the evening of Easter Sunday, April 17, 1960, aged 84 years, 10 months and three days. The funeral services were conducted by J. N. Kaufman, Wayne King and C. Warren Long. Burial was made in the Willow Springs cemetery.