Patricia "Patti" Lynn Franklin

Patricia "Patti" Lynn Franklin or just Nana, wonderful mother to Ashley and Rick Thompson and Nana to Ella and Evan Thompson, of Edwardsville, IL, passed away peacefully with Ashley at her side on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, leaving a void that cannot be filled. 

Nana Patti was raised in Edwardsville born on November 28, 1953, in East St. Louis, IL, to the late William and Alice (Sowers) Powell. Patti attended Edwardsville High School before obtaining a master’s degree at SIUE, in Elementary Education and Special Education going to work for the Highland School District where she taught special education for 33 years retiring in 2008 when Ella was born.

Patti’s hobbies helped define who she was. She loved to decorate for every holiday, found any reason to entertain and plan events, made everyone’s birthday special, avid Cardinals fan and always attended spring training, played cards with her Card Club gang, loved to garden and arrange flowers, could build or fix anything, loved to shop and craft, the list goes on but at the end of the day she wanted everyone to feel special and would do whatever it took. She was a member of Praise Community Fellowship, Edwardsville Garden Club, Card Club, volunteered for TWIGS, Edwardsville Neighbors and Special Olympics. But most of the time you would find her on a soccer field, track, or XC course. Nana enjoyed supporting her Ella and Evan above all else. Nana Patti could be found in the parking lot of events changing shirts and earrings to match each team traveling from sport to sport. Their teammates would call her Nana Patti and run up to her looking for hugs and snacks. Her love and kindness on the sidelines will be missed by many. 

Patti was a devoted mother and loved that job above all else. She would often state her life started when Ashley came in the world and for the next 39 years dedicated everything she had to being a mama and best friend to her. She received 39 perfect year end reviews in a row!

Patti is survived by her daughter, Ashley Thompson and her husband Rick (Edwardsville); two grandchildren, Ella and Evan (Edwardsville); her pup, Gracie; grand pups, Tiny and Mia; siblings, Bill (Jeanne) Powell, John (Amy) Powell, and Nancy Schwalb; nieces and nephews, Nick (Tiffany) Schwalb, John (Tiffany) Schwalb, Ben, Pete and Adriana (Koepp) Powell; many friends, neighbors, and unofficial grandchildren who will be missing her greatly.

Patti will be cremated according to her wishes. A memorial service will be held on Monday, April 21, 2025, at 5:00 pm at The Ink House 117 N 2nd St, Edwardsville, IL 62025 with Rev. Kent Schuette presiding. A Celebration of Life will immediately follow the service also at the Ink House.  The family suggests that memorials be made to Holly’s House of Hope. Condolences may be expressed online at weberfuneralhome.com.
 

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