Feb 12, 2021
The Blossom Nursing and Rehabilitation Center celebrated a special day with Barney Franks. Barney has always wanted to celebrate his 100th birthday by having his picture on a Smucker jelly jar. While researching on Smuckers’ website it was discovered that once you hit 100, you apply to be chosen to be on the jar and but there was no guarantee. That is when a Blossom staffer Debbie Leggett jumped into action and began exploring other options — and the rest is history. Although Barney will be not be 100 for a year, he was able to make it on the Smucker jar. Barney asked if he was going to make lots of money now that he is famous. Franks was born in Salem and then grew up in the Ohio Soldier’s and Sailor’s Orphan’s Home in Xenia. He returned to Salem in the mid 1940s and has been a resident of Blossom since October 2019. He has two daughters, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He is shown here with his daughters, Dee Wallace and Marsha Paulin, and grandson, Doug Falk. (Submitted photos)