Franklin Wakeland

Services for retired Army Staff Sgt. Franklin L. Wakeland, 79, of Killeen, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Harper-Talasek Funeral Home Chapel, with Army Chaplain Capt. Douglas Kay officiating. The body will be cremated.BRBRFranklin died March 31, 2008, in a local hospital.BRBRHe was born Oct. 30, 1928, in Muscatine, Iowa.BRBRHe enlisted in the Army at the beginning of World War II. He later served in the U.S. Air Force. He returned to the Army where he served more than 20 years during the Korean and Vietnam wars.BRBRHis awards include the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster; Good Conduct Medal fourth award, National Defense Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal.BRBRFranklin retired in 1971 at Fort Sill, Okla. After moving to Killeen in 1980, he worked as a plumber, security guard and lastly as a data collector for Peco Enterprises on Fort Hood. Then he became self-employed, working as a saw and blade sharpener.BRBRFranklin was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Mamie Wakeland; a brother; and two sisters,BRBRSurvivors include his wife, Susie Wakeland of Kempner; his sons, Robert L. Wakeland of Killeen, Michael E. Wakeland of Darmstadt, Germany, and Shane Brown of Lampasas; his daughters, Evelyn Bragg of Chandler, Okla., Inge P. Newport of Burkville and Diana L. Kabello of Youngsville, N.C.; his brother, Joseph Wakeland of Joy, Ill.; his sister, Cheryl Engle of Aledo, Ill.; 10 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.BRBRVisitation will from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

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