David Paul Franklin was born on October 23, 1968, in the Heights Hospital in Houston, Texas, to parents Charles R. Franklin, Jr., and Gloria Johnson Franklin. He passed away on May 5, 2025, at his parents' home in The Woodlands, Texas. He was 56 years old. 

David grew up in Livingston. He was active in Boy Scouts and loved camping, swimming, hiking, canoeing - all the activities that Boy Scouts did during the 1970s-80s. He worked as a Boy Scout camp counselor for three summers, teaching the swimming and archery merit badges among others. He particularly loved working with the handicapped scouts, helping them find ways to succeed and enjoy the program despite their limitations. 

David also loved soccer and baseball. In 1981, he was on a soccer team during the very first season soccer was played in Livingston. He graduated from Livingston High School in 1987. 

David joined the US Air Force in 1990, where he was assigned to do maintenance and repair of complex electronic countermeasures used to protect airplanes against enemy missiles. His electronics training served him well in later life.

In 1994, David was awarded a medal for heroism by the Air Force for risking his life to save the life of a Florida State Trooper. In the early morning darkness of October 20, 1992, while driving along State Road 30, David saw the flashing lights of a traffic stop ahead of him while also passing a suspicious-looking man walking along the road in the same direction. Arriving at the scene, David saw an assailant on top of a badly injured trooper, trying to gain control of his firearm.

With no regard for his own safety, David launched himself at the assailant, knocking him off the trooper. He pressed his advantage, wrestling the man down, knowing he had to subdue him quickly before the second man arrived. Once David had him under control, he used the trooper’s radio to call for help. 

After the Air Force, David started a small business that was going well, but in 2000, he broke his back in an accident with a rope swing while swimming in the Trinity River. His back never healed correctly, leaving him disabled and in constant pain for the rest of his life. Despite that, he started an RV repair business in Livingston called “The RV Shack.” Several years later, he agreed to sell his share of the company to his partner. In 2016, he again started an RV repair service, Mobiletech RV, in the Conroe area. His back hurt him constantly, but he managed to work through the pain. Finally, his physical problems became too great to overcome. Unable to continue, he closed his business in April of this year, just a month before he died. 

David accepted the Lord Jesus as his savior when he was young. During his last weeks, he and his dad often talked about his salvation, with David confirming his faith in Jesus as his savior and that He paid it all. He was confident that his salvation was a free gift from God and not dependent on any works that we could do ourselves. 

David is survived by his parents, brother Charles Keith Franklin, daughters Allison Baker, Amber Leigh Reach, and AnnaNell Franklin, grandchildren Hannah and Wyatt Baker, and a host of aunts, uncles and cousins.

A memorial service will be held in David’s honor on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., at the Cochran Funeral Home Chapel in Livingston, Texas. Visitation will take place on the day of service, from 1:00-2:00 p.m., at the funeral home

https://www.cochranfh.com/obituary/david-p-franklin