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Carol Franklin, age 79, of Berlin, WI, passed away on July 23, 2026, after a courageous year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.
Carol was born on March 3, 1947, to George and Agnes (Parnell) Cook. She grew up alongside her twin sister, Carmen, on the family farm in Somerset, WI, on State Highway 35 near the St. Croix and Polk County line. From an early age, Carol was known as a dedicated, independent worker and thinker who was always willing to lend a helping hand to neighbors and her community.
Carol achieved a remarkable distinction as the first woman in Wisconsin to receive the National 4-H Award, sponsored by John Deere. She was an avid coin collector who enjoyed birds and wildlife and was always known for having the latest practical gadget that made life a little easier.
Determined to further her education, Carol earned her business degree through evening and weekend classes in Milwaukee, WI. She and her husband, Jerry, especially enjoyed spending time together at their place on Fox Lake, where they loved to fish.
Carol devoted 34 years to a large insurance company based out of St. Paul, MN, where she developed training manuals. Her work took her throughout the United States and Canada to assist other offices. She even obtained landed immigrant status to legally work in Toronto, Ontario, where she spent 14 months supporting the company’s Canadian operations. In addition, Carol was licensed in commercial, personal, health, and life insurance.
Following her husband’s job transfer, Carol and Jerry relocated to Berlin, WI. After Jerry’s unexpected passing in 1999, Carol demonstrated remarkable strength and resilience by “starting over.” She joined the business office at Ripon Hospital, WI, where she faithfully served for 13 years before retiring in 2012.
Carol is survived by her twin sister, Carmen Mielke, stepdaughter, Tammy Franklin, nieces Jodi (Paul) Gilbert, Jill (Mike) Albert, Jenny (Greg) Meixner, Janelle (†Dave) Smith; nephew Jason (Cori) Mielke; nephew Ron Jr. Wilcox; nieces Shelly Wilcox, Linda Gross, and Debbie Stone.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Gerald “Jerry” Franklin; her brother-in-law, Doug Mielke; her sister-in-law, Patricia Rickert; and her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Elaine Wilcox and Ron Sr. Wilcox.
In lieu of flowers, it was Carol’s wish that memorials be made to All Saints Catholic Church, N8566 Old State Rd. 49, Berlin, WI 54923.
A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, July 30, 2026 at 3:00 pm at St. Anne’s Catholic Church (141 Church Hill Road) in Somerset, WI. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in St. Anne’s Catholic Cemetery immediately after the service, followed by luncheon and fellowship at the church.
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