Sammy Glen Franklin, 58, of Jena, peacefully slipped off into eternity Friday, July 21, 2023, in Jena.

He was born to the union of his parents, Sammy Jones Franklin and Janice Lucille Richmond, on November 20, 1964, in Columbia.

Early in his life he developed a love for horses and the cowboy way of life. What started out with roping eventually turned to bull riding, getting his start at the Dave Yule Rodeo in Nebo. He would travel the rodeo circuit for several years as a bull rider, competing in rodeos from throughout Louisiana and then to major events in Texas and beyond.

His life-calling was found when he was hired as a patrol officer for the Jena Police Department in his early 20's. After serving several years with JPD, he moved to Natchez, MS where he was a patrol officer for the Natchez Police Department.

He would become one of two officers there on a special DUI Enforcement Division and he was recognized numerous times by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for his outstanding arrest and conviction record.

In 1992, he was hired by the Louisiana State Police, assigned to Troop E and working primarily Catahoula, Concordia and LaSalle parishes. He excelled in this line of work and was one of the Troop's leading accident investigation troopers.

He had many friends in the law enforcement sector and out of the streets he was known as "The Ice Man" with his no-nonsense approach to his job. He loved all of his fellow officers, whether they wore the blue of the LSP or police and sheriff uniforms. If anyone was ever needing backup, they knew help was on the way if E41 was working that shift.

At the end of his career with the LSP, he was a Detective for LSP Region 3 and worked numerous narcotic and other cases throughout Central Louisiana.

Around 1997, Glen began to feel the effects of what would later be diagnosed as an extremely rare kidney disease. He loved his job as a State Trooper and did not want to leave, but by 2008 the pain was unbearable, and he was forced to accept disability retirement.

During the next 15 years Glen would experience many surgeries, from Baton Rouge to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and Florida, along with various treatment methods in his battle with the disease. None of the treatments were successful and he was eventually placed on dialysis.

His heart was broken in 2016 when his oldest daughter, Lauren Sidney Franklin, was tragically killed in an automobile accident near Vidalia.

Along with his daughter, Glen was preceded in death by his mother, Janice Lucille Richmond: his father, Sammy J. Franklin; his maternal grandparents, Jim and Josie Richmond; and his paternal grandparents, Charlie and Alice Franklin.

A graveside service will be held at the Woodland Cemetery in Jena on Sunday, July 23, 2023, at 10 a.m., with Rev. Gary Norris officiating.

Interment is under the direction of Kinner & Stevens Funeral Home of Jena.

Those left to cherish his memory include his daughters, Paige Franklin of Vidalia and Claudia Franklin Salazar & husband Austin, of Monroe; three brothers, Craig Franklin & wife Kim of Jena, Scott Franklin & wife Jamie of Jena and Charlie Franklin & wife Marissa of Alexandria; two sisters, Penny Justus of Bastrop and Ashley Keene & husband Dustin of Jena; stepmom, Bonita Franklin of Jena: two grandchildren, Karter Ratcliff and Addison Nelson, with two grandchildren on the way; and a host of nieces and nephews.