John Patrick Franklin

John Patrick Franklin, 67, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on Monday, June 19, 2023. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, and later went to Louisiana State University for his Bachelors and Masters degrees in electrical engineering, where he met his best friend and wife Selva. He moved to Albuquerque in 1987 to begin a 36-year career at Sandia National Laboratories. During his tenure, John played a critical role in the fields of nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear security and software quality engineering, becoming a Senior Scientist in 2011, a distinction only awarded to approximately 5% of national laboratories' scientists. He received numerous awards and accolades from Sandia and multiple U.S. government agencies and was widely recognized and sought-after for his knowledge by U.S. and international agencies. He also authored, co-authored, or contributed to hundreds of scholarly articles and publications. Throughout his career, John was dedicated to developing the next generation of nuclear security experts and worked to make the world a safer place.
John was known for his wit, kindness, sharp sense of humor and no-nonsense attitude. When he wasn't at the job he loved, he liked working with his hands in the garden and on home repair projects. He was an avid traveler and traveled frequently with his family, liked to play pool, read voraciously and enjoyed discussing world affairs. He will be remembered by his friends and colleagues as a friend, mentor and ardent truth- seeker, and by his family as a loving husband, a good father and a caring brother. He and his hearty laugh will be sorely missed.
John is survived by his wife Selva; son Burak; sister Kathy; brothers James and Michael; and sister-in-law Seher. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to the American Cancer Society in John's name. May he rest in peace.