CONFIRMED: Victoria Y Franco, Retired, Veteran, Korea, US Marine (150-26) 4 Sep 26
2117 Harry Wurzbach Rd
San Antonio, TX 78209
USA
US MARINE CORPS. RETIRED VETERAN – KOREAN WAR
The family of Ms. Victoria Y Franco, a US Marine Corps. (Ret.) Veteran, requests the presence and participation of the San Antonio Patriot Guard at the graveside rendering of military honors of their loved one. We are honored to accept this invitation.
Ms. Victoria was born in Kansas City, Kansas on March 21, 1926, and passed away on August 5, 2026. She was just two and a half years old when her mother, Annie Yamin Franco, passed away. This early tragedy forged within her a life defined by resilience and protection of others. She was a bright and creative child who enjoyed putting on talent shows in her backyard for the neighborhood. She would dance ballet, sing, and even played the marimba one time. As a teenager, she’d host talent shows for the youth in the Lebanese Community.
At the age of 24, Vicki enlisted in the United States Marines. She served on active duty during the Korean Conflict from September 15, 1950, to February 23, 1957. As a Marine Corps Sergeant and a Teletype Operator, she managed the high-stakes, encrypted communications that kept our military connected. She was even able to weave in her love for performing by dressing up as a clown and singing to boost morale and bring laughter to her fellow service members.
Following her active-duty service, Vicki took the highly specialized skills she learned in the Marines and transitioned them into a successful civilian career. She worked for a major Brokerage Firm as a teletype operator for eight years in San Antonio. She then transferred with her profession to California and later satisfied her innate desire to defend and watch over others by becoming a security guard. Though her daily duties changed over the decades, she officially remained on the Marine Corps rolls until her honorable discharge in 1970.
Aunt Vicki was a natural, fierce athlete who balanced her grace as a dancer with her strength on the field. She loved the thrill of competition and excelled across multiple sports, eventually winning a prestigious women’s athletic award for her prowess in baseball, tennis, and football. Her deep love for sports naturally evolved into a historic career on the diamond. Vicki became a legendary trailblazer in the sports world, breaking barriers as the second lady umpire in her region, and the first woman ever to umpire boys’ high school senior baseball. Her sharp eye and unwavering authority earned her a place umpiring with the California Interscholastic Federation, where she called games for boys’ baseball, girls’ softball, ASA softball, semi-pro men’s baseball, and local men’s leagues. The pinnacle of her umpiring career came when she was selected to ump the World Series for PONY Inc., proving she could stand on the biggest stages of youth baseball and command the game with respect.
Vicki’s protective instincts culminated in her most profound acts of service. In 1975, when the historic Vietnamese refugee crisis unfolded at Camp Pendleton, Vicki stepped forward as a Red Cross volunteer. She was assigned to “Camp #5” that housed 200-300 children. She became a beacon of comfort—using music to teach frightened refugee children their very first English words. Her compassion, however, refused to stop when her volunteer shift ended. That Christmas, moved by a profound sense of humanity, Vicki sponsored a displaced Vietnamese family: a mother, a father, and their ten-year-old daughter. Proving the depth of her boundless, sacrificial generosity, Vicki quietly cashed in her own personal stocks to pay for their food and rent until government assistance could arrive. She gave that family the greatest Christmas gift possible—a safe, dignified beginning to a new life in America.
After retiring at the age of 62, Vicki looked for new ways to pour her vibrant energy into her community. In 1993, she joined the grassroots volunteer group called, Madres Costa Mesa. At a time when local neighborhoods were plagued by gang activity and street violence, Vicki didn’t hesitate to step into harm’s way. She walked the local school boundaries and stood watch at bus stops, ensuring that neighborhood children could get safely on and off the bus without fear. Where others saw danger, Vicki saw children who needed a protector.
Retiring from her career did not mean retirement from her true calling. Vicki simply redirected her legendary work ethic into full-time devotion to others. In August 2005, a senior community newsletter called The Jazzy News captured a beautiful glimpse of her tireless spirit. They celebrated her as “a young 79-year-old who refused to slow down.” Vicki would routinely catch and ride three different public buses just to get to her shift at the community center, and she worked from morning until closing, providing personal supplies to low-income families and seniors.
Behind the disciplined Marine, the teletype professional, the barrier-breaking umpire, the brave volunteer, and the backyard performer was a woman who retained a joyful, childlike wonder for life. Vicki was an avid, passionate collector. She found immense happiness in gathering the things that told the stories of her journeys and the things she loved—accumulating a collection of coins, t-shirts, baseball caps, lapel pins, and stuffed animals.
Her beautiful, service-filled life was rightfully celebrated on March 21, 2026, when Vicki marked her monumental 100th birthday while residing at the Frank M. Tejeda Texas State Veterans Home in Floresville, Texas. In the weeks leading up to her centennial milestone, a local newspaper featured her incredible story, and the VA home put out a special call to the community, hoping to collect 100 birthday cards to honor her 100 years of life. True to the profound impact Vicki had made on the world, the public responded with a tidal wave of love, flooding her mailbox with over 700 cards.
Sergeant Victoria Franco leaves behind a lifetime of kindness, fierce bravery, and service to others. May she rest in peace.
**THE FAMILY WILL MEET US AT THE STAGING LOCATION
WEATHER: Hi 99 / Lo 78, 0 % Chance of Rain, 90 % Humidity, Wind: 4 mph SE
REQUESTOR: Sandra Karam, Niece
STAGING: 1:45 pm, Friday, September 4, 2026
Ebb Tide Lounge
2117 Harry Wurzbach Road
San Antonio, Texas 78209
https://goo.gl/maps/4sMDzLt1L3RavAzh7
BRIEFING: 2:00 pm
KSU: 2:15 pm (Semper Gumby)
INTERMENT: 2:45 pm – Shelter #5 (Call to Verify)
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery
1520 Harry Wurzbach Road
San Antonio, Texas 78209
https://goo.gl/maps/Q9DUsYSBUS92
RC: Al (Warden) Langford
Langfordadjr2@hotmail.com
FC: Alice “Cake Lady” Wagener
hwagener@sbcglobal.net
ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS
1. Iron horses if you can, cages are always welcome and appreciated and unless under special circumstances not allowed in processions. You do not have to have a motorcycle to participate in honoring our veterans.
2. Safety First: Please remember to properly hydrate (including the night before) before any outdoor activity and to dress appropriately. Do not hesitate to take a break at any time if you feel you need to get in the shade or get indoors and always ask for help at any time. Also please do not forget your sun screen.
3. Please remember that our mission is to stand tall and silent, and with honor and. NO TALKING, SMOKING, CHEWING OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS, OR CELL PHONE USE IN THE FLAG LINE!
***Safety Notice***
Before volunteering and/or attending any San Antonio Patriot Guard Riders missions we encourage you to review all safety information below. Included are some potential safety concerns to be aware of, however this does not include the full scope of all potential hazards. Anyone attending any San Antonio Patriot Guard Riders mission understands that they do so at their own risk. Neither the Patriot Guard Riders Organization nor its representatives are liable for any damages incurred on any PGR mission or event.
Funeral Processions/Escorts
EVERY RIDER IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for their own safety at all times while riding in a funeral procession.
At NO TIME are any riders authorized to block any intersection or otherwise block or impede traffic laws in any way. Only Law Enforcement officials are authorized to block and/or impeded the lawful flow of traffic.
If you choose to fly a Flag on your bike you are SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for ensuring it is secured and not a danger to any other rider or traffic.
Warm Regards,
Bob “Pizza Man” Johnson
Asst. State Captain
Deputy State Captain
San Antonio Patriot Guard
Dignity, Honor, Respect
Cell: 562-413-2223
“We can’t all be heroes. Some of us get to stand on the curb and clap as they go by.”
Will Rogers