Franklin R. Stoneburner, 82, of Delavan, died Dec. 28, 2014.
He was born Aug. 27, 1932, in Footville in Rock County to Melville and Anna (Newell) Stoneburner and grew up in Allens Grove in Walworth County.
He attended the Salt Box Grade School in Sharon, from 1938 to 1946 and Darien High School from 1947 to 1948.
After his father died, he moved to Delavan with his mother in 1948 and lived at the Van Velzer apartments, where he attended and graduated from Delavan High School in 1950.
He worked at Fairbanks-Morris in Beloit and Sta-Rite in Delavan from 1950 to 1960. He also worked nights and weekends in Lake Lawn’s dining room as a waiter from 1950 to 1966 to put himself through college.
He started at the University of Wisconsin-Racine in 1962 to obtain a nursing degree, then switched his major to social work and transferred to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and graduated in 1966.
He married Suzanne I. Scheibe on Oct. 19, 1968, and they had two children.
He worked at Kenosha County’s Department of Public Welfare from 1966 to 1971 and then moved to Walworth County’s Health and Human Services Department from 1971 to 1997 when he retired. He was responsible for initiating the county’s Meals on Wheels and senior transportation programs.
Stoneburner was a member of the U.S. National Guard for 31 years – from 1949 to 1980 – and was called to active duty during the Berlin Crisis and stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash. He was also a past post commandeer for the Rutledge-Boviall-Schauf-Madison Post 95 American Legion in Delavan.
He was an avid antique dealer, a charter member and director of the Delavan Historical Society and a local historian and was active in his 1950 class reunions and luncheons with retired Lake Lawn employees and is fondly remembered as Uncle Sam in the City of Delavan’s Fourth of July parades.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Melville Judson Stoneburner (1889-1945) and Anna Elizabeth (Newell) Stoneburner (1902-1993); a nephew, Robert Loudon; and his daughter-in-law, Suzy M. (Schneider) Stoneburner (2013).
He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Suzanne I. (Scheibe) Stoneburner, of Delavan; his son, John Stoneburner, of Northbrook, Ill.; his daughter, Elizabeth Stoneburner (Jerry Roman), of Crystal Lake, Ill; grandchildren Samantha and Amanda Stoneburner; step-grandchildren David and Emily Roman; a sister, Dalma R. (Stoneburner) Loudon, of Delavan; a niece, Mary Loudon, of Delavan; his nephew, Stephen (Victoria) Loudon; and great-nieces Laura and Kristen Loudon.
Funeral services were Saturday at Luther Memorial Church with the Rev. Elisa Brandt officiating. Burial with full military rites followed in Spring Grove Cemetery.
Memorials to the Delavan Historical Society are suggested. Betzer Funeral Home is assisting the family.
