Franklin's mom passed away today. She was more than a leader or a cheerleader for the city she loved, she has been the matriarch for the last several years. She gave the city hugs when it was down and praised it to the highest of heights when it was up.
Ronnie Beith, as events coordinator and a key member of the Franklin Fine Arts Council, took this quaint little postcard town and made it come alive with family friendly events and music that filled the downtown parks weekly through the summer and even a couple more frigid winter events that really drew large crowds.
Her words of choice were always "wonderful" or "marvelous" or "fortunate." If she had negative words on her mind they seldom found their way to her lips.
She loved Franklin. No, SHE LOVED FRANKLIN!
She helped create or improve upon many of the things that make Franklin a special place. Light-Up Night was her favorite. She and others began to bring in large Christmas trees a few years back to put in front of the courthouse. The event has a full-on winter parade that usually draws spectators two or three rows deep. The parade is followed by the tree lighting and a fireworks display that might be the longest and most choreographed of all area displays.
But Beith might have mentioned several other events during the long year of planning as favorites as well. She got a kick out of the annual stone skipping contest, she marveled at the ice sculpting in the park during Franklin on Ice and Franklin, and celebrated the Fourth of July each year with a weeklong calendar of events.
When the pandemic hit in 2020 and everything was shut down, Beith was laid off from her job as events and marketing director in the city. That, of course, meant nothing to her. She still did what she could to help coordinate everything that could be done virtually or safely. She found a way to still hold the Taste of Talent contest and it became a virtual event for the year. And as soon as restrictions were being lifted she was at the ready to start things right back up again. She was a tireless worker.
Only a severe heart condition slowed her down, but by no means stopped her. She would say she was operating on only a portion of her heart, but she felt blessed to be alive and able to work. That little bit of functioning heart was big. She began using the phrase "it is what it is," referring to her health or the pandemic.
Her heart and love for others was beyond remarkable. Ronnie wouldn't want anyone to mourn her death, she simply would want Franklin to continue growing its sense of community and keep doing things that make this place fun to live in or visit.
She would never say her role in the community was big, she praised others beyond herself and that is why she was such a great leader and also why she will be so dearly missed.
Ronnie Beith, as events coordinator and a key member of the Franklin Fine Arts Council, took this quaint little postcard town and made it come alive with family friendly events and music that filled the downtown parks weekly through the summer and even a couple more frigid winter events that really drew large crowds.
Her words of choice were always "wonderful" or "marvelous" or "fortunate." If she had negative words on her mind they seldom found their way to her lips.
She loved Franklin. No, SHE LOVED FRANKLIN!
She helped create or improve upon many of the things that make Franklin a special place. Light-Up Night was her favorite. She and others began to bring in large Christmas trees a few years back to put in front of the courthouse. The event has a full-on winter parade that usually draws spectators two or three rows deep. The parade is followed by the tree lighting and a fireworks display that might be the longest and most choreographed of all area displays.
But Beith might have mentioned several other events during the long year of planning as favorites as well. She got a kick out of the annual stone skipping contest, she marveled at the ice sculpting in the park during Franklin on Ice and Franklin, and celebrated the Fourth of July each year with a weeklong calendar of events.
When the pandemic hit in 2020 and everything was shut down, Beith was laid off from her job as events and marketing director in the city. That, of course, meant nothing to her. She still did what she could to help coordinate everything that could be done virtually or safely. She found a way to still hold the Taste of Talent contest and it became a virtual event for the year. And as soon as restrictions were being lifted she was at the ready to start things right back up again. She was a tireless worker.
Only a severe heart condition slowed her down, but by no means stopped her. She would say she was operating on only a portion of her heart, but she felt blessed to be alive and able to work. That little bit of functioning heart was big. She began using the phrase "it is what it is," referring to her health or the pandemic.
Her heart and love for others was beyond remarkable. Ronnie wouldn't want anyone to mourn her death, she simply would want Franklin to continue growing its sense of community and keep doing things that make this place fun to live in or visit.
She would never say her role in the community was big, she praised others beyond herself and that is why she was such a great leader and also why she will be so dearly missed.
| "I'm the new Jerry" and the last eight years. I know if I were able to tell Ronnie how sad I am that I'll never see her again, she'd give me a hug and tell me how much she appreciated me and what I do for the community. That is Ronnie. It was always about how great others were. She was a cheerleader, a motivational speaker, a big heart and a true friend. She also downplayed her role in everything she did and would simply say that she was blessed to be able to do her small part. She, by her own accounts, had a wonderful life. Reading her posts about her family and her husband Bill, you could feel her love for them and her friends and her Franklin. Truth is, Ronnie was a big part of why Franklin is "Always Eventful" and her shoes are going to be very hard to fill. For me, I will miss her hugs. I wasn't at The Derrick and News-Herald long before I was sent to photograph something in Franklin. I was told to make contact with Ronnie Beith and she'd help me with what I needed to know. At that time I had no idea how many times I'd be looking for Ronnie to get everything I needed to know. I learned quick though. I'll never forget that first meeting with her. I could tell she was upset that long-time newspaper photographer Jerry Sowden had left. She had grown to trust him and she really admired his work. She told me so as we stood in Bandstand Park. At the end of the conversation she, still a bit skeptical that I could ever fill Jerry's shoes, "oh, but I'm sure you'll do just fine." That was eight years ago. We grew to be the type of friends who hug when we saw each other. I will miss her hugs. After I was laid off from the paper in the beginning of the pandemic, she contacted me almost immediately to see if I was OK and if she could do anything to help me. She had a whole city to worry about and she was worried about me. What a beautiful soul. If I were to say that Franklin will never be the same again, I'm pretty sure she would find a way to change my words around to wish the city well and for the good people of Franklin to carry on the wonderful spirit she saw and felt. But Franklin will never be the same, it might be fine, but it won't be the same. I will miss her hugs.  |  Pretty sure she'd want us to mention this here as well. Sign up for the Taste of Talent Vocal Competition The Franklin Fine Arts Council will once again sponsor the 13th Annual Taste of Talent Vocal Competition this summer at Bandstand Park. The competition is open to individual soloists ages 16 and up. It kicks off Wednesday June 28 at 7 p.m. Registration packets are available at www.franklinpa.gov/events. Packets can also be obtained by calling 814/437-1922, ext. 1123 or by emailing [email protected] The packets should be submitted by Monday, May 15. The competition will be held on Wednesdays, June 28, July 5, 12, 19, 26 at 7 p.m. The semifinals will take place on Saturday, August 5 at 7 p.m. and the finals will be held the following day on Sunday, August 6 at 4 p.m.. The winner of the competition will receive $1,000 sponsored by Franklin-Oil Region Credit Union. Prize monies totaling $200 ($100 cash and $100 in Franklin Retail Gift Certificate) will be awarded to the three semi-finalists. The Taste of Talent competition has been a huge success with audiences up to 1,400 people attending weekly. Many past competitors, even those who have not made it to the finals, are playing frequently in the region. |
RSS Feed