Many of you have noticed the new paint job, the “porch” and the name change at the Union County Museum. I recently talked with Dave Franks about his talents, his hobbies and especially the new lettering at the museum. I think Dave has already had nine lives!

Dave arrived in Union County by way of Oak Ridge, where he came in 1969 to start a Donut Shop. He was born in Memphis on November 1, 1928. Being an adventurer sort he learned to fly crop dusters over the Mississippi Delta and Arkansas, Louisiana. In 1952 he joined the United States Marine Corps based in Jacksonville, Florida. After the Korean era, he operated a service station, a garage and water clarification company. When the Vietnam War came along, Dave flew missions in Vietnam and told me he had been in every free country in the world. After coming to east Tennessee, he met Betty Norris Keen, and they have been married 11 years. They are active members of Hansard Chapel United Methodist Church, and Dave is Chairman of the Church Council. A previous pastor, the late Rev. Perry Mason recognized Dave’s talent and volunteer spirit; so, before he died of multiple myeloma, he had Dave promise him that he would build a steeple for the church. Dave acknowledges lots of help from his granddaughter, Crystal, to Harold Woods who hauled the steeple from Dave and Betty’s house to the church, to Bob Monroe, Dustin Watts, Rev. M. C. Taylor, Glen Atkins, Dustin Melton, Jim Tolliver and Reed Campbell who together assembled and installed the steeple. Sam Thomas brought his crane to hoist the steeple to the top of the sanctuary.

Dave serves on the Board of the Union County Museum and Genealogical Library; and, when the need for new lettering arose, Dave stepped up to the plate and made the letters. My first question to Dave for this piece was–where did you learn to make letters? Dave quickly told me he taught himself. First, Dave said he rounded up friends Darrell and Robert Pratt, who built the porch and painted the building. Dave says they did the work, he just provided directions. Dave made the paper patterns, cut the letters from styrofoam, then painted three coats of water-based paint on the letters. Oil paint would have melted the letters. He says the most difficult job was finding a place to lay all the letters to dry. In addition to Roy Acuff, the names of Chet Atkins, Kenny Chesney and Carl Smith were added to the marquee. Thanks, Dave!

Sadly, Dave has now passed away, but his lettering is a lasting memorial to his ingenuity and willingness to serve his community.
Picture caption: Union County Museum and Genealogical Library