Colonel Carl L Franks Jr

NORMAN - Carl L Franks Jr. was born October 18, 1963 in Ardmore, OK to Eva Jean ( Gaines) and Carl L. Franks, Sr. An outstanding student and athlete – Carl attended Ardmore High School where he lettered in Football, Wrestling and Track. In 1982, he graduated with honors and went on to attend Oklahoma State University where he earned his Master’s of Athletic Education degree in 1988.

An honorable service member – Carl enlisted in the Oklahoma Army National Guard in 1981. He was a 2LT, Transportation Corps Officer in 1985. Carl was deployed to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in 1991, where he was the Company Commander for the 1345th Transportation Company (part of the largest National Guard deployment since the Korean War), in support of Operation Desert Storm. In 2011 he was promoted from Lt. Colonel State Defense Movement Coordinator to Colonel at Joint Force Headquarters in Oklahoma City. After 34 years of service he retired from the Army National Guard in December of 2015.

A dedicated educator – Carl was named Athletic Director for Moore Public Schools in 1996 and retired after almost 20 years in 2015. Driven by his desire to mentor youth, he accepted the position of Director of Youth Programs for the Oklahoma Military Department in 2015.

A loving family man – Carl was a combination of Hero and Chef. He loved to cook for family and friends, especially during the holidays, sporting events, or just a friendly gathering. You could count on him to go above and beyond to love and protect those close to him.

Forever strong and courageous, Carl peacefully transitioned into eternity to be with the Lord on February 13, 2021.