Joe Franz Sr. was the son of Franz Franz and Marie Braun, both German immigrants. At about 21 he maried Mary G. Williams (listed in some sources as Willensky). They had one child, a son, Joseph Aloysius Franz, Jr. by whom they had four grandchildren. At 30 Joe, Sr., was listed in the 1920 Census as a machinist in a shipyard, but later he worked for many years as a guard and greeter at the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. Among friends and family Joe was loved for his good humor, kindness, and remarkable musicality. He played piano and sang in a clear, light tenor that reminded some of a German operetta singer. He and his father both had been members of a German-language Saengerverein, and family members still cherish medals they won in contests both in America and in the old country. After half a century, Joe is still missed.
Joe Franz Sr. was the son of Franz Franz and Marie Braun, both German immigrants. At about 21 he maried Mary G. Williams (listed in some sources as Willensky). They had one child, a son, Joseph Aloysius Franz, Jr. by whom they had four grandchildren. At 30 Joe, Sr., was listed in the 1920 Census as a machinist in a shipyard, but later he worked for many years as a guard and greeter at the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. Among friends and family Joe was loved for his good humor, kindness, and remarkable musicality. He played piano and sang in a clear, light tenor that reminded some of a German operetta singer. He and his father both had been members of a German-language Saengerverein, and family members still cherish medals they won in contests both in America and in the old country. After half a century, Joe is still missed.
Gravesite Details
Block 66, Row 6, Graves 5 and 6 contain 8 Franz family burials including Joseph Sr.
