Harold 'Bud' Francke Jr.

HAROLD "BUD" FRANCKE JR.

Cedar Rapids

Harold "Bud" Francke Jr., 71, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018, at Silver Cross Hospital, New Lenox, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids. Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 10, at First Church of the Open Bible, Cedar Rapids, with the Rev. Kenny Gail officiating. Burial will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Bud was born Jan. 14, 1947, in Schiller Park, Ill., the son of Harold and Henrietta (Marks) Francke Sr. Graduating from East Leyden High School in Franklin Park, Ill., Bud joined the U.S. Navy in 1971. During his service, he met and married Margaret "Peggy" Fitzgerald in 1974 in Jacksonville, Fla. During his 11 years of service, Bud was stationed on the USS Saratoga aircraft carrier. He then moved back to Cedar Rapids and worked for Rockwell Collins.

In 1980, Bud began work for the U.S. Postal Service as a mail handler, retiring in 2002. He was an athletic director for Metro Catholic School and a Marion Little League coach. During retirement, he worked for Hot Shots in Cedar Rapids as a delivery driver. Bud was a past member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marion and the Knights of Columbus. He was an avid New York Yankees and Iowa Hawkeye fan. Bud enjoyed golfing and bowling. He especially enjoyed Thursday nights at Flannigan's.

Bud is survived by his mother, Henrietta Francke of Frankfort, Ill.; two sons, Sean (Barbara) Francke and Mark (Leah) Francke, both of Cedar Rapids; two granddaughters, Faith and Gabrielle; brother, John (Arley) Francke of Frankfort; and brother-in-law, Jim (Jill) Fitzgerald of Savannah, Ga.

He was preceded in death by his father, Harold Francke Sr.; and wife, Peggy Francke.

Please share a memory of Bud at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.