Kathy Franks was born in 1946 in Edeleny, Hungary, to parents who survived the war and rebuilt their lives with courage and devotion.
After moving through Vienna and boarding a ship in Genoa bound for Australia, she quickly became known as the energetic little girl who once had to be rescued from a hole in the ship’s deck—already showing the spirit that would define her life.
She grew up in Melbourne, graduated from Mount Scopus, and earned an accounting degree from RMIT, remaining a proud CPA for over fifty years. As a young woman she moved to Sydney, where she met her husband and began her family, later returning to Melbourne out of deep love and responsibility toward her parents.
Kathy built a home defined by warmth, creativity, and high expectations. She poured love into every detail—homemade birthday cakes, hand-crafted Purim costumes, late-night sewing for ballet concerts—and she ensured her children learned resilience and responsibility through real work. Her “tough love” was always grounded in a soft heart.
In business, Kathy’s instincts were exceptional. Together with her husband she built successful ventures in pharmacy, cosmetics, and homewares, guided by her eye for fashion, her sharp judgment, and her natural sense of what people would value.
Her values were unwavering: profound respect for her parents, humility in business, generosity toward the Jewish community, and a deep connection to Israel—especially in difficult times. Born from the ashes of the Holocaust, she carried a clear sense of where she came from and worked tirelessly to build a brighter future.
Kathy leaves behind her greatest legacy: a family rooted in Jewish identity, eight grandchildren proud of their heritage, language, and people. She lived with purpose, grace, and dedication—always one step ahead, always working for those she loved.
