Annie Belle Franklin was born on January 19, 1931, in Pocomoke, MD, to the late Emerson Purnell and Minnie Fisher Purnell. She departed this life on Saturday, January 8, 2022, at her home in Berlin, MD. She joined the church at an early age and was a lifelong member of St. Paul United Methodist Church. Her formal education was received from the Worcester County Public School System, The Beauty Academy, and she studied Accounting at Delaware Technical Community College.
Annie Belle was joined in holy matrimony with Charles E. Franklin, Sr. in May of 1947 and they had four children, Iris Mapp, Pamela (Matthew) Kee, Dr. Fran K. Franklin, and Charles Edward Franklin, Jr. (Janice). Annie Belle or "Belle," as she was affectionately called, was gainfully employed for many years. She was the first African American employed in retail in the predominately white "uptown" area of Berlin. She was also employed in the area of fiscal management by the Water Department for the Town of Ocean City and worked as a dietitian at the Berlin Head Start Program for over 20 years. After she retired, she continued to be active as a salesperson with the Transportation Department in Ocean City.
Annie Belle will be remembered most for her love of God which was evident to all who met her. At St. Paul United Methodist Church, she served as a faithful member of the Gospel Trudettes Choir, a cook for the Happy Club, Homecoming Committee member, chair of the Membership Committee, and as a member of the St. Paul UMC Diabetes Support Group. She also served as a member of the American Legion Post #231 and the Household of Ruth Lodge #3567 of the Odd Fellows.
"Belle's" legacy is her walk with Christ, her sweet personality, the many heads of hair she styled, the love she gave to her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren, and the love she gave to her brothers and sisters. Annie Belle loved to cook, shoot the breeze, listen to others, play games (especially at the annual family reunions), and travel. She traveled extensively in the United States, and on numerous occasions, she had the opportunity to leave the mainland and visit Alaska, Hawaii, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. Folks often came to Annie Belle with their problems. She would help them heal their social, financial and emotional wounds. She was friends with everyone and always kept the secrets, trials and tribulations that others privately shared with her. Her home was always open to everyone. Many relatives and friends received love and kindness in her home which extended anywhere from one day to several years.
Belle leaves a large extended family to cherish loving memories: five brothers, Wallace Purnell, Aloston (Marjorie) Purnell, William (Loretta) Purnell, Norman (Corine) Purnell, and Roy (Starr) Purnell; two sisters, Louise Purnell and Sharan Purnell; 12 grandchildren, Sharyl, James, Queen, Eugenia, Matthew, Jr., Devon, Lenora, Kimberly, Gerald, Jr., Ronell, Charles, III, and Brina; a foster grandchild, Thurmond; 29 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great grandchildren; several nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by her brother, John E. Purnell.
Ms. Franklin will lie in repose on Saturday, January 22, 2022, from 10 to 11 AM at First Baptist Church Family Life & Cultural Center, 528 Booth Street, Salisbury. The funeral service will begin at 11 AM. Interment will follow at St. Paul's Cemetery, 10543 Assateague Road, Berlin.
Annie Belle was joined in holy matrimony with Charles E. Franklin, Sr. in May of 1947 and they had four children, Iris Mapp, Pamela (Matthew) Kee, Dr. Fran K. Franklin, and Charles Edward Franklin, Jr. (Janice). Annie Belle or "Belle," as she was affectionately called, was gainfully employed for many years. She was the first African American employed in retail in the predominately white "uptown" area of Berlin. She was also employed in the area of fiscal management by the Water Department for the Town of Ocean City and worked as a dietitian at the Berlin Head Start Program for over 20 years. After she retired, she continued to be active as a salesperson with the Transportation Department in Ocean City.
Annie Belle will be remembered most for her love of God which was evident to all who met her. At St. Paul United Methodist Church, she served as a faithful member of the Gospel Trudettes Choir, a cook for the Happy Club, Homecoming Committee member, chair of the Membership Committee, and as a member of the St. Paul UMC Diabetes Support Group. She also served as a member of the American Legion Post #231 and the Household of Ruth Lodge #3567 of the Odd Fellows.
"Belle's" legacy is her walk with Christ, her sweet personality, the many heads of hair she styled, the love she gave to her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren, and the love she gave to her brothers and sisters. Annie Belle loved to cook, shoot the breeze, listen to others, play games (especially at the annual family reunions), and travel. She traveled extensively in the United States, and on numerous occasions, she had the opportunity to leave the mainland and visit Alaska, Hawaii, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. Folks often came to Annie Belle with their problems. She would help them heal their social, financial and emotional wounds. She was friends with everyone and always kept the secrets, trials and tribulations that others privately shared with her. Her home was always open to everyone. Many relatives and friends received love and kindness in her home which extended anywhere from one day to several years.
Belle leaves a large extended family to cherish loving memories: five brothers, Wallace Purnell, Aloston (Marjorie) Purnell, William (Loretta) Purnell, Norman (Corine) Purnell, and Roy (Starr) Purnell; two sisters, Louise Purnell and Sharan Purnell; 12 grandchildren, Sharyl, James, Queen, Eugenia, Matthew, Jr., Devon, Lenora, Kimberly, Gerald, Jr., Ronell, Charles, III, and Brina; a foster grandchild, Thurmond; 29 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great grandchildren; several nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by her brother, John E. Purnell.
Ms. Franklin will lie in repose on Saturday, January 22, 2022, from 10 to 11 AM at First Baptist Church Family Life & Cultural Center, 528 Booth Street, Salisbury. The funeral service will begin at 11 AM. Interment will follow at St. Paul's Cemetery, 10543 Assateague Road, Berlin.
Annie Belle Franklin was born on January 19, 1931, in Pocomoke, MD, to the late Emerson Purnell and Minnie Fisher Purnell. She departed this life on Saturday, January 8, 2022, at her home in Berlin, MD. She joined the church at an early age and was a lifelong member of St. Paul United Methodist Church. Her formal education was received from the Worcester County Public School System, The Beauty Academy, and she studied Accounting at Delaware Technical Community College.
Annie Belle was joined in holy matrimony with Charles E. Franklin, Sr. in May of 1947 and they had four children, Iris Mapp, Pamela (Matthew) Kee, Dr. Fran K. Franklin, and Charles Edward Franklin, Jr. (Janice). Annie Belle or "Belle," as she was affectionately called, was gainfully employed for many years. She was the first African American employed in retail in the predominately white "uptown" area of Berlin. She was also employed in the area of fiscal management by the Water Department for the Town of Ocean City and worked as a dietitian at the Berlin Head Start Program for over 20 years. After she retired, she continued to be active as a salesperson with the Transportation Department in Ocean City.
Annie Belle will be remembered most for her love of God which was evident to all who met her. At St. Paul United Methodist Church, she served as a faithful member of the Gospel Trudettes Choir, a cook for the Happy Club, Homecoming Committee member, chair of the Membership Committee, and as a member of the St. Paul UMC Diabetes Support Group. She also served as a member of the American Legion Post #231 and the Household of Ruth Lodge #3567 of the Odd Fellows.
"Belle's" legacy is her walk with Christ, her sweet personality, the many heads of hair she styled, the love she gave to her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren, and the love she gave to her brothers and sisters. Annie Belle loved to cook, shoot the breeze, listen to others, play games (especially at the annual family reunions), and travel. She traveled extensively in the United States, and on numerous occasions, she had the opportunity to leave the mainland and visit Alaska, Hawaii, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. Folks often came to Annie Belle with their problems. She would help them heal their social, financial and emotional wounds. She was friends with everyone and always kept the secrets, trials and tribulations that others privately shared with her. Her home was always open to everyone. Many relatives and friends received love and kindness in her home which extended anywhere from one day to several years.
Belle leaves a large extended family to cherish loving memories: five brothers, Wallace Purnell, Aloston (Marjorie) Purnell, William (Loretta) Purnell, Norman (Corine) Purnell, and Roy (Starr) Purnell; two sisters, Louise Purnell and Sharan Purnell; 12 grandchildren, Sharyl, James, Queen, Eugenia, Matthew, Jr., Devon, Lenora, Kimberly, Gerald, Jr., Ronell, Charles, III, and Brina; a foster grandchild, Thurmond; 29 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great grandchildren; several nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by her brother, John E. Purnell.
Ms. Franklin will lie in repose on Saturday, January 22, 2022, from 10 to 11 AM at First Baptist Church Family Life & Cultural Center, 528 Booth Street, Salisbury. The funeral service will begin at 11 AM. Interment will follow at St. Paul's Cemetery, 10543 Assateague Road, Berlin.
Annie Belle was joined in holy matrimony with Charles E. Franklin, Sr. in May of 1947 and they had four children, Iris Mapp, Pamela (Matthew) Kee, Dr. Fran K. Franklin, and Charles Edward Franklin, Jr. (Janice). Annie Belle or "Belle," as she was affectionately called, was gainfully employed for many years. She was the first African American employed in retail in the predominately white "uptown" area of Berlin. She was also employed in the area of fiscal management by the Water Department for the Town of Ocean City and worked as a dietitian at the Berlin Head Start Program for over 20 years. After she retired, she continued to be active as a salesperson with the Transportation Department in Ocean City.
Annie Belle will be remembered most for her love of God which was evident to all who met her. At St. Paul United Methodist Church, she served as a faithful member of the Gospel Trudettes Choir, a cook for the Happy Club, Homecoming Committee member, chair of the Membership Committee, and as a member of the St. Paul UMC Diabetes Support Group. She also served as a member of the American Legion Post #231 and the Household of Ruth Lodge #3567 of the Odd Fellows.
"Belle's" legacy is her walk with Christ, her sweet personality, the many heads of hair she styled, the love she gave to her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren, and the love she gave to her brothers and sisters. Annie Belle loved to cook, shoot the breeze, listen to others, play games (especially at the annual family reunions), and travel. She traveled extensively in the United States, and on numerous occasions, she had the opportunity to leave the mainland and visit Alaska, Hawaii, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. Folks often came to Annie Belle with their problems. She would help them heal their social, financial and emotional wounds. She was friends with everyone and always kept the secrets, trials and tribulations that others privately shared with her. Her home was always open to everyone. Many relatives and friends received love and kindness in her home which extended anywhere from one day to several years.
Belle leaves a large extended family to cherish loving memories: five brothers, Wallace Purnell, Aloston (Marjorie) Purnell, William (Loretta) Purnell, Norman (Corine) Purnell, and Roy (Starr) Purnell; two sisters, Louise Purnell and Sharan Purnell; 12 grandchildren, Sharyl, James, Queen, Eugenia, Matthew, Jr., Devon, Lenora, Kimberly, Gerald, Jr., Ronell, Charles, III, and Brina; a foster grandchild, Thurmond; 29 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great grandchildren; several nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by her brother, John E. Purnell.
Ms. Franklin will lie in repose on Saturday, January 22, 2022, from 10 to 11 AM at First Baptist Church Family Life & Cultural Center, 528 Booth Street, Salisbury. The funeral service will begin at 11 AM. Interment will follow at St. Paul's Cemetery, 10543 Assateague Road, Berlin.
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