Ione, CA..Joseph Franco, Jr. passed away after a brief illness on March 20, 2018 at the age of 88. Joe was born April 25, 1929 in Harlem, New York City to Jose Franco and Esther Morales Franco. He began his career in the US Army at age 17 and was a veteran of both the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. Joe was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Achievement in Ground Operations Against Hostile Forces in Vietnam. After marrying Patricia Lou Germeyer in 1953 he served as a military policeman and prison guard, moving with his family to many posts across the US, including Ft. Benning, GA, Ft. Jay, NY, Ft. Leavenworth, KS and Ft. Huachuca, AZ. Joe also served overseas in both Germany and Okinawa. Joe retired from the military in 1970, at the rank of Sergeant First Class and eventually settled in Pleasanton, California where he worked as a guard at the Oakland Museum. He was a lifelong baseball fan and adopted the Oakland A’s as his home team. Upon retirement he and his wife moved to Wilseyville in the Sierras, where Joe was involved with the West Point Lions Club for many years, as well as the West Point chapters of the VFW and the American Legion. In recent years they resided in Ione, California, eventually moving to Stockton.

Joe is survived by his wife Pat, children Jean Franco (Pat), Maria Caprile (Tony), Francesca Pappin (Bill), Ellen Bower (Bill), Joseph Franco III (Michelle), and Sarah Hogan (Tom), eleven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, his brother Benjamin, two nephews and one niece. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Alice and Ruth, daughter Felicia, and grandson Ben.

A memorial service will be held Friday June 1st at noon at Rio Las Palmas 877 E March Ln Stockton CA. In In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Honor Flights for Veterans at www.honorflights.org or mail to Honor Flight, Inc. Attn: Diane Gresse 175 South Tuttle Road in Springfield, OH 45505