Sister Donna M. Franklin DC

MENANDS- Sister Donna (Donna Marie) Franklin was born on May 15, 1950 in Philadelphia, PA , the oldest of three children born to Louis Franklin, Jr and Catherine Veronica (Brady) Franklin, passed away Wednesday March 11, 2026. After graduating from Archbishop Wood High School for Girls, Warminster, PA in 1968, she worked for a number of years in Kentucky with a religious Community. Sister Donna entered the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent De Paul on September 12, 1974. She obtained a BS in Sociology in 1981 from Emmanuel College, Boston, MA and an MSW from Hunter School of Social Work, New York, NY in 1986. She was awarded a Certificate in Chemical Dependency Counseling from Villanova University, Villanova, PA in 1992.

Sister Donna began her ministry as a Social Worker at Nazareth Child Care Center, Jamaica Plain, NY where she worked from January 1, 1976 to January 1, 1981. She then worked at St. John of God Assisted Living, Brighton, MA for six months from January 1,1981 to June 1, 1981. Sister Donna’s next area of Ministry was at St. Catherine’s Center for Children, Albany, NY. After obtaining her graduate degree in Social Work, Sister Donna worked for six months at Nazareth Home in Boston, MA from January 1, 1986 to June 1, 1986. Sister Donna then worked at Astor Home, Bronx, NY from June 1, 1986 to January 1, 1989. Her next Ministry was at Immaculate Conception Parish, Ghebre Michael Inn, Philadelphia PA from January 1, 1989 to January 30, 1995. Sister Donna then became the Director of Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Ogdensburg, NY from January 1, 1995 to April 25, 2018. Sister Donna was then assigned to the Ministry of Prayer at St. Louise House, Albany, NY where she, in addition to prayer, ceaselessly performed kind acts for the Sisters with whom she lived.

A Wake Service for Sister Donna will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026 from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM in the Daughters of Charity Chapel of the De Paul Residence, 96 Menand Road, Albany NY 12204. Sister’s funeral will be on Monday, March 16, 2026 at 10:30 AM in the Daughters of Charity Chapel of the De Paul Residence followed by burial in St. Agnes Cemetery, 48 Cemetery Avenue, Menands, NY 12204. Sister Donna is survived by one sister, Ann Cecilia Smith (Timothy Smith), one brother Louis Joseph Franklin (Carol Landes), three nieces: Jessica Franklin Clark, Molly Smith and Leah Smith, one nephew: Michael Franklin; two great nephews: Carter Clark and Frankie Clark, one great niece: Collette Clark and numerous Brady and Franklin cousins. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Catholic Charities, Diocese of Ogdensburg, NY, 214 Caroline St., Ogdensburg, NY 13669. Online condolences may be offered at danielkeenanfuneralhome.com