Published October 18, 2019
TEWKSBURY — Christina A. (MacKenzie) Franklin, 88, passed away at her home in Tewksbury on October 13, 2019.
Mrs. Franklin was born in Boston on September 7, 1931 to the late Colin andChristina (Gillis) MacKenzie. She was raised in Dorchester, graduated from high school in Dorchester before moving to Melrose. Christina lived in Melrose for over 35 years, Lynnfield for 33 years and in Tewksbury the past few years.
She was a wonderful homemaker and a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend who will be dearly missed. In her early years, Mrs. Franklin worked at Transitron in Melrose and Wakefield for 10 years and then at K-Mart for several years. Christina and her husband George spent winters in Boca Raton, Florida for 20 years and enjoyed playing golf three days a week at all the local golf courses. Mrs. Franklin also enjoyed golfing at Hillview Golf Course in North Reading. She loved to go shopping and traveled all over the United States, Europe and the world with her husband.
Mrs. Franklin was the beloved wife of 33 years to George J. Franklin Jr. Loving mother of Richard Spataro and his wife Ann of Melrose, Donna Rowe and her husband Ernest of Saugus and Mary Groux and her husband Thomas of Tewksbury. Cherished grandmother of Cindy Leary, Michael Leary, Nicole Dower, Jenna Ackley, David Chalifoux, Craig Spataro, Kristina Petrie, Daniel Petrie, Justin Petrie and Mackenzie Rowe. Proud great-grandmother of Savannah Schuerhoff, Keira Dower, Max Dower, Lucy Ackley, Cameron Owens, Anthony Owens, Caiden Dower and Lindsey Leary. Caring sister of Robert MacKenzie of Weymouth and the late Katherine, Eleanor, Virginia, Mary and Colin. Former wife of Anthony Spataro. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Visitation was held at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St. Melrose, on Wednesday, October 16. Funeral procession from Gately Funeral Home on Thursday morning October 17, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary’s Church, 9 Herbert St. Melrose. Interment at Wyoming Cemetery in Melrose. Relatives and friends were respectfully invited to attend. Memorial contributions may be made in Christina’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 562 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or at www.stjude.org. To leave an online message of condolence please visit gatelyfh.com.
