Obituary of Franklin A. Hewitt

NORTH CREEK: Franklin Armstrong Hewitt, passed away peacefully Saturday, November, 2022, at Elderwood at North Creek surrounded by family and friends.  

 

Franklin grew up on the Hewitt Farm in Garnet Lake, NY. He attended Johnsburg Central School and Cobleskill College for Agriculture, enlisting in the US Air Force on December 27, 1951.

 

Throughout his life Franklin held many jobs, all involving a passion for driving and maintaining cars, trucks and tractors. As a young man, he worked with his Dad, at the Johnsburg Garage as a mechanic. He married Patricia Lucille Donnelly on June 25, 1955 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Olmstedville. 

 

Franklin owned/operated Hewitt Oil Company for over twenty years. Hewitt Oil Company delivered a million gallons of gas and fuel per year. At various times he worked at National Lead Industries as a mechanic, Hewitt’s Garage in North Creek as a mechanic and delivering International Harvester Farmall tractors, Newcomb Garage, Gore Mountain Garage in North Creek, McCormick Trucking (east of the Mississippi), Logging, Pike Construction, Town of Minerva. Franklin was a volunteer driver for the Minerva Fire and Rescue Squad.

 

Franklin enjoyed snowmobiling with family and friends. It seemed they tinkered all week to be ready to ride on the weekends. Franklin owned a 1955 Cadillac, 12 passenger Limousine. Again, the driving and maintaining was the fun. He chauffeured many friends and community groups around the north east; parades, state fairs, baseball games, weddings. Franklin and Harris enjoyed spending time together driving and maintaining cars, trucks and tractors.

 

Good vacations were judged by how many miles per day were traveled and how many states passed through. Some cities were considered a drive by, Franklin would drive and Patty would read aloud from the tour book, no need to stop. He loved Nashville and went there many times. Mount Rushmore was a weekend trip passing through 3 time zones, have dinner, see the lights and start home.

 

He is predeceased by his wife, Patricia Donnelly Hewitt, sister, Hilda Dodge and parents, Frank and Dorothy Armstrong Hewitt.

 

Franklin is survived by his two daughters Marie (Tim) O’Brien and Shirley (David) Ware, grandson Patrick Francis O’Brien (Vienna) two great grandchildren Verona and Bray, sisters Sybil Utterback (Url)  Dorothea Potter, brother, Harris Hewitt (Charlotte) and several nieces and nephews.

 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to one of the following organizations: Minerva Food Pantry, P.O. Box 937, Minerva NY 12851. Make checks payable to Minerva Food Pantry. Minerva Service Organization, PO Box 922, Minerva, NY 12851. Make checks payable to Minerva Service Organization. Johnsburg Emergency Squad, 624 Peaceful Valley Road, North Creek, NY 12853 Make checks payable to Johnsburg Emergency Squad.

 

A celebration of Franklin’s life will be held at a later date. Interment at St. Mary’s Cemetery Irishtown will be at convenience of family.

 

Please visit www.alexanderfh.net for online guest book and condolences