Mallie Louise Bridges Franks -- Cafeteria Cashier and Day Care Worker

 

Herman and Mallie Bridges Franks

Mallie Louise Bridges was born on July 13, 1922 on Beechy Fork Creek in the Maple Grove community of Trigg County, Kentucky. She was the only child of Percy Dillard Bridges and Edna Pearl Thomas Bridges.  Percy worked for the E. I. Dupont Company and both he and Edna were natives of Trigg County.  Mallie was a descendant of both Cullen Bridges and Starkie Thomas.

Mallie grew up in the Maple Grove community and attended the one-room Maple Grove School for several years.  Her family moved to Cadiz and she then attended the Cadiz Graded School.  She went to Trigg County High School where she graduated, with the class of 1942.

Mallie’s family moved from Trigg County to Louisville and on to Charlestown, Indiana and then to Childersburg, Alabama.  It was in in Childersburg where Mallie met her future husband.  Mallie married Herman Ray Franks on September 30, 1942 in Birmingham, Alabama.  Herman was born on April  27, 1922 in Dorsey, Mississippi.  He was the son of Elzie Maurice Franks and Armedia Greene Franks.  Elzie was a farmer and was a native of Itawamba County, Mississippi.  Armedia was also a native of Mississippi.

A few months after their marriage, Herman enlisted in the U.S Army on November 7, 1942 at Camp Shelby, Mississippi,  He was discharged the following year on April 6, 1943.  After leaving the military, Herman worked in construction work in several locations across the south for several years. Mallie and Herman settled in Memphis, Tennessee where they bought a home and Herman owned his own barber shop business.  Mallie worked as a cashier in a school cafeteria near their home for sixteen years.  She also worked several days each week in a church day care center.  In addition to their home in Memphis, Mallie and Herman had a home in Trigg County and enjoyed visiting their relatives back in her home county.

Mallie and Herman were the parents of two sons, Larry Keith Franks, born in 1944 and married Patricia Anne Taylor and later married Rebecca (last name unknown) and Danny Ray Franks, born in 1947 and married Sherry Anita Stwan.

Herman died on June 3, 1977 at the age of 55 in Atlanta, Georgia. He was buried in the Memphis Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. Mallie died on February 9, 2004 from a blood clot at the age of 81 at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis.  She was buried in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis.

Mallie tombstone

 

Herman tombstone

LINEAGE: (Mallie Louise Bridges was the daughter of Percy Dillard and Edna Pearl Thomas Bridges. Percy was the fourth child of Mark Dale and Mallie Mae Lancaster Bridges.  Mark Dale was the fifth child of Cullen Thomas and Martha Ann Virginia Thomas Bridges.  Cullen was the twelfth child of Willam and Mary Thomas Bridges. William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges. Edna Pearl was the fifth child of Starkie William and Julia Louise Sumner Thomas.  Starkie William was the fifth child of James Jasper and Mary Cunningham Thomas.  James Jasper was the fourth child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas.  Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)