RITA GAY SIPES FRANKS, 71, of Cross Plains, TX, passed
away on March 31, 2014 in an Abilene hospital. Her
request was to be cremated and her ashes were buried
beside her mother and her sons ashes on the family
ranch.
She was born Sept. 3, 1942 in Coleman County to W.J.
and Marguerite Young Sipes. The family moved to
Ranger, TX in 1959. She graduated from Ranger High
School in the Class of 1960. Rita continued her
education at Ranger Jr. College where was a cheer-
leader and on the drill team. She received her A.A.
degree there in 1962. She completed her B.A. at North
Texas and taught in Irving ISD for many years. Rita
married Jon M. Franks in 1973 at Dallas which later
ended in divorce.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother
Bill Sipes, and her son Michael Shawn Franks in 2010.
At the time of her death, she was survived by a grandson
Ayden Quade Franks, daughter-in-law Amber Franks (both
of San Angelo), a brother Bobby Sipes (RHS-1969) and
her companion W.A. Gary (both of Cross Plains).