Memories

Obituary

Benjamin Randall Franke was born December 2, 1983 to Dean Winston Franke II and Amy Randall Franke at Unity Hospital in Fridley, Minnesota.  The third of three sons, Ben arrived two weeks late at a lamentable 11 lbs 4 oz.  That size matched that of his spirit; even if more often dropped as a factoid to amaze and dismay mothers everywhere. 

Ben spent his early years in Mexico City, Mexico; where his father's work had taken their family. He did the majority of his schooling in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, where he graduated from Park Center Senior High School in 2002. Along the way Ben dabbled in track and cross country skiing. He became an Eagle Scout. Most importantly, he picked up a trumpet. That first passion blossomed into a life in music and a life of service to others, often through music.

Ben attended the University of Minnesota at Duluth, graduating in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education. While in college, Ben became a committed member of the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps out of Lacrosse, Wisconsin with whom he performed in competitive marching band performances throughout the United States.  

While in that musical milieu, Ben met and fell in love with Megan Habiger, then pursuing a Masters in Vocal Performance.  Plotting a life together and in the Arts, the couple moved to the Las Vegas area to start their teaching careers in 2007.  From their adopted home in the Nevada desert, in the summer of 2008 they made a return trip to a sunny stretch of Minnesota Lake Superior shoreline to be bonded in marriage.  It was one of the best decisions Ben ever made.

Ben’s professional life was dedicated to education. He served as associate director of bands and then director of bands at Coronado High School for a span of eight years, from 2007-2015 and one year as associate band director at Bailey Middle School. For the last eight years, from 2016-2023, Ben taught at Garrett Junior High School in Boulder City, Nevada. Along the way, Ben earned a Masters in Wind Band Conducting from the University of Nevada Las Vegas in 2014 and a became a National Board Certified secondary instrumental music teacher in 2017.  

Ben was an outstanding educator. His talent, discipline, and unbridled love of learning drew in and inspired countless students to engage with music; many of whom carried that cultivated passion into further education and beyond.  Highlights of Ben's band career were having his students to perform in the 4th of July Parade in Washington, DC and the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. Even as Ben made the change from high school to junior high to be more present to his sons Abraham (2015) and Theodore (2019), his impact remained impressive. During his tenure at Garrett, Ben helped grow the music program to include hundreds of young musicians. To Ben’s curious and giving spirit, he had merely been planting seeds for students to harvest later in life. Ben shifted from running the band program to a new position as director of the STEM program at Garrett in the Fall of 2023. His task was to build the program from the ground up. Even with too short a tenure, that trust placed in Ben produced a foundation upon which others can build. Ben being Ben, a foundation laid for others would be counted as a win.

Ben would throw himself into a project he believed in, to secure funding and do the other unglamorous legwork required to give his students the experiences he knew they deserved.  In just one case, in 2022, Ben had his STEM classes build and customize fender electric guitars from scratch, which the students themselves kept as theirs once finished. He sourced the funds, assembled the assorted tools, and guided middle schoolers through a careful construction process to make an incredible keepsake.  With a smile on his face, Ben tied the skilled construction craft to his musical passions.  

More than anything, Ben defined himself through loving family. His wife Megan was the love of his life.  His sons Abraham and Theodore were the center of his universe.  Although anchored in the love of his parents and brothers and the raucous extended family into which he was born, Ben was always open to love. Megan’s family became his family, not just in law but in love.  Ben and Megan’s friends blurred that line yet further, often making the distinction between a friend and a family member blessedly beside the point. Such is the legacy of Ben’s love, and his love of family. 

Ben died in Henderson, Nevada on 18 October 2023 after a short but serious illness.  He had sought medical care for early symptoms, but required hospitalization when his condition deteriorated dramatically on the morning of the 18th. Medical providers made heroic efforts to keep him with us.  Ben wanted to be with us.  We feel his absence.  And yet Ben is and will always be with us.   

Ben was such an amazing human being who loved being a part of everything that made the world a better place. He loved his family and spoke often of his two boys, who certainly were the focus and purpose in his life. Ben loved his students and was honestly the most generous teacher with his humor, love of music, and innovative approach to learning and growing. He was so passionate about moving Garrett forward into the future, and had such a drive to see the STEM program take root and become something unique in the lives of the students he taught. He was so intelligent, but knew just how to work with students so that they could be successful and reach their individual goals. Every class period would line up outside the classroom each and every day, and each student would get a high five or fist bump as he greeted them at the door. He made each and every student feel special and recognized, and they were blessed to have him as a part lives. He made us laugh no matter what we were doing, and if you watched him teach his humor was part of his way of connecting to the students. He cared and he took every opportunity to make sure the students knew that. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to have worked with Ben and get to know such an incredible person who left a special mark in the world. God bless and keep you, until we meet again.

MELANIE TEEMANT, GARRETT JHS PRINCIPAL

I remember 2023 summer school he taught robotics and stem and I was struggling to build a robot and he realized that I was struggling and help me understand how to build a robot. He was amazing to everybody with his hi fives to everybody.

TESSA HUFFMAN, STUDENT OF BEN'S

I did not know Mr. Franke personally, however his wife Megan Franke is my choir teacher. Although I never met Mr. Franke I felt like I did. Mrs. Franke talked about him so fondly and with so much love. I remember I was joking with her and said “my man plays guitar” and she went “ok well my man plays the trumpet and he's REALLY good at it.” It was so funny. It was very nice to have a role model so happy and in love. The stories our choirs would hear from her showed us how much love he held for her and his family. I can only say thank you to him for making my choir teacher so visibly happy and having the most ADORABLE boys with her. Plus, treating her with so much kindness and love which is what she deserves. She’s a great mother and I KNOW he was a fantastic father. I can only hope that when I’m married there will be so much joy, love, patience, and kindness within my family. Just like Mr. and Mrs. Franke so clearly have.

MAY PLAIRE, STUDENT OF MEGAN'S

Mr.Franke was such an awesome and amazing teacher, he has taught me and many students a life lesson. My favorite memory I had with him at school was me and my friend asked him if we could eat in class and he was just standing there laughing. Mr franke was such a positive and happy teacher he was a teacher no one can compare to everyday since then I have always try to be happy for him i know he would want us to be happy and positive!

JAZLYN ORTIZ, STUDENT OF BEN'S

I met Ben Franke in the spring of 2007 via a phone interview for the assistant director opening for the following year. I told my principal we needed someone with marching band and jazz chops. When Ben shared his experience on the call, I started jumping up and down in the office and whispering "this is our guy!" From that moment, Ben was a huge asset to our band program, and he was the perfect balance to my crazy self. For five years he was my other half at Coronado High School. One of my favorite memories was telling him that I'd been playing oboe longer than he had been alive. He asked me how that felt. I can still see the smirk. 

We took the band to Orlando his first year, and we played with light sabres to kill time while we waited for buses to take us from Disney back to our hotel. Another fond memory was the beginning-of-the-year meeting and Lee was trying to get our attention, so I started yelling "Woo! Woo! Woo!" And everyone eventually got quiet and Ben yelled "SCHOOL!" I remember everyone laughing, Lee turning red and laughing and it made for such a fun start to that day. I wish I had more pics of the silly stuff. 😆 

Ben always had my back when we had conflicts with disgruntled parents, coaches, etc. I know it's hard to imagine, but I am not always a delight to be around. 😂 He was able to give me stats when I needed them, reassure me that I was right when tough decisions needed to be made, was our go-to audio engineer because he was wicked smart, and our whole department loved working with him. 

He took over as director of bands for the following three years before making the move to middle school when it was time for Megan and him to start a family. We didn't see each other much once he became a dad but when I did see him and ask about his son(s), he would light up. That was so awesome to see. 

I know Ben was at the memorial service. His youngest son is a mini-Ben. His cuteness during Megan's eulogy was so adorable. It brought laughter to the room, and I feel like Ben had a hand in that. It was bittersweet to see so many of my former students under these circumstances. It was an honor to play today, and I hope Abe, Teddy, and Megan know how much Ben loved them.

DANI MCCRACKEN, FRIEND AND FORMER CO-WORKER

Mr. Franke was super funny and talented at the trumpet. He truly loved his kids. He would show us videos of Abe doing the basketball dribble in the garage. He was very nice, I will miss him for a long time.

JUSTIN KAPLAN, STUDENT OF BEN'S

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