Juan Lee Franco, Sr., 38, of Cherry Creek, passed away Monday, May 8, 2023, at Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls.

Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m. MDT, Friday, May 19, 2023, at the Cherry Creek Gym, Cherry Creek, SD. Burial will follow in St. Andrews Episcopal Cemetery, Cherry Creek, SD. Wake services will be 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 18, 2023, at the gym, with a procession from the 2-mile hill east of town at 4:00 p.m.

Juan was born April 3, 1985, the oldest of five children to Juan Franco Sr. and Erma Lee MarrowBone. He completed his education, finishing his GED in Saint George, UT.

Juan welcomed four beautiful children into this world: Erma, Cheyenne, and Juan Jr. “Yamni” Franco and Kaleb Herrald whom he loved dearly. He thought the world of his nieces and nephew, Emsley Amora, Ezekiel Jace, Charlie Franco, and Kais’Lee and Kassiah Saul. And he was blessed to get to spend most of his time with Ezekiel and Emsley.

Juan loved working roofing jobs with his little brother, Silas. He enjoyed watching his nieces and nephews grow up and being a part of their lives as much as possible. He was proud of his siblings and seeing all the things they were accomplishing in life.

Juan had many hobbies, however the ones that showed the most were his collections of wolf dream catchers and his favorite NFL team, the New England Patriots.

He lived much of his adult life in Cherry Creek with his grandma Linda, helping her as much as he could. He also lived in Aberdeen where he spent much of his days helping his younger siblings and helping the elderly people that lived in his apartment building. Juan loved spending time with the elderly, they reminded him of his grandma Linda and grandma Pauline.

If you didn’t find Juan at home or couldn’t get ahold of him on his phone, you could always find him at his favorite gas stations playing the slot machines.

Juan was fighting a long hard battle with kidney disease. What kept him going were the hugs he got from his niece and nephew every as well as being able to plan Ezekiel Jace and Emsley Amora’s birthdays. He enjoyed planning cook outs and dinners with his baby sister, Sarah Jade, that were for anyone who wanted to come and eat.

Juan is survived by his brothers: Dugan and Silas Franco; sisters: Shawna and Sarah Jade Franco; children: Erma, Cheyenne, and Juan Jr. “Yamni” Franco and Kaleb and Avery Herrald; special nieces: Charlie and Emsley Franco, Kais’Lee and Kassiah Saul; nephew, Ezekiel Jace Franco; his father, Juan L. Franco Sr.; aunts: Ophelia (Billy) Dupris, Edna (Harrold) Tyndall, and Francine Blue Arm; and uncles: Dewey MarrowBone, Russel Benoist, and Marlon Yellow Owl.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Erma MarrowBone; grandparents: Linda MarrowBone, Pauline Eagle Chasing, Gary MarrowBone Sr., Roland Roach Sr., Cordelia Benoist, Ambrose MarrowBone, David and Hannah MarrowBone, and Neeta Blue Arm; uncles: Scott Sr., Orville, Royce Sr., and Justin MarrowBone; and aunts: Delma Eagle Chasing and Cynthia Y. De Leon.

Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Juan’s arrangements.

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