By Rebecca Goodman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

BLUE ASH - March 24, 2001, was Clifford Franklin Day in Cincinnati, as proclaimed by Mayor Charlie Luken.

Mr. Franklin, of Blue Ash, earned this designation during more than 50 years of volunteer service for various organizations.

The retired Cincinnati Public Schools teacher, principal and former sideline crew member for the National Football League died Saturday at Hospice of Cincinnati here. He was 82.

Mr. Franklin, a World War II Army veteran, taught for many years at Cincinnati Public before assuming the position of principal at Covedale School.

Mr. Franklin was an NFL official, working with the first-down chain-markers crew since the early 1970s. In addition to Bengals games, Mr. Franklin officiated at hundreds of high school volleyball, football and basketball games for more than 50 years, quitting a few years ago, when his health began to decline.

He volunteered with the Red Cross' youth program for more than 50 years. He also worked with the Special Olympics and delivered Meals-On-Wheels in Price Hill.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Nancy Liermann, in 1991.

Survivors include Zita Sampson Franklin, his wife of 61 years; two daughters, Patricia Lyon of Sharonville and Terri Burkett of Kennedy Heights; a brother, John Edward Franklin of Zellwood, Fla.; a sister, Mary Elizabeth Layman of Palm City Fla.; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. The funeral is 11 a.m. today at Thomas-Justin Memorial Funeral Home, 7500 Montgomery Road, Kenwood. Burial will be in Rest Haven Memorial Park in Evendale. Memorials: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 2011 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208.

E-mail rgoodman@enquirer.com