Heroes come in different forms. They’re not always well-known or making headlines. Sometimes they’re regular folk bringing joy in big and small ways to the people in their lives.
Gregory John Franklin was an everyday champion who made people feel happy and appreciated. Following a sudden medical condition, he died in August at age 65.
Franklin grew up in Oak Bluff, a small community southwest of Winnipeg. After high school, he took the Red River College culinary arts program, from which he graduated with honours, specializing in baking. Soon after he found employment at Winnipeg’s iconic Kub Bakery, where he worked for many years mastering his craft before realizing his dream of having his own bakery. He married and had a son, Taylor, who instantly became the love of his life.
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Gregory Franklin worked at Kub Bakery for many years before opening Oma’s Bakeshop. He was known for his apple jacks and eccles cakes.
The winner of a Robin Hood baking contest purchased Oma’s Bakeshop on Henderson Highway in 2001, and for 17 years his passion for baking allowed him to flourish and create a wide variety of popular pastries and breads. Ten years later, Franklin opened a gluten-free bakery called Opa’s in Charleswood.
When Franklin sold Oma’s Bakeshop to Quinn McMurray in 2018, he agreed to stay on for two years and help her with the business.
“In my time working for and with Greg, it was always clear that he would do anything to make his customers happy,” said McMurray. “Whether it be buying flowers for the recipient of a happy 100th birthday cake, or sacrificing his time at home with family in order to stay late at the bakery to make sure all of our customers got all of their holiday baking needs met.
Franklin had many customers who would come by just to chat and catch up, McMurray said, noting that he was a pillar of the community in and around the McIvor Mall.
“I sincerely appreciated the chance to work for someone who saw as much potential in me as Greg always had,” she said. “Greg was always working his hardest to benefit the bakery and its customers and I think he saw that likeness in myself early on. It takes a special type of leader to mentor one of your young staff members, to one day sell them your business and guide them along the whole journey.”
As he moved on from the bakeshops, Franklin kept busy doing what he loved and opened Oma’s Ice Cream Shop. He retired after the season in 2023.
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This happy face pie was the last pie Greg ever made before his death in August 2024.
“Oma’s Bake Shop wasn’t merely a place of business — it was a warm and welcoming space where people gathered, exchanged stories and experienced Greg’s exceptional talent,” said his sister, Teresa Smith. “He was known for baking the best cinnamon buns ever, the best apple jacks ever and the best eccles cakes ever; delights that kept people coming back for more. Just as with the bakery, Oma’s Ice Cream Shop became a beloved place in the community — a place where joy was shared in every scoop.”
Smith said that her brother spent hours experimenting and developing his own ice cream flavours. She said that he particularly enjoyed serving kids and their families.
Smith counts herself lucky for the strong bond, friendship and partnership she had with her brother.
“Greg was much more than a brother. He was a true friend, a confidant and a pillar of support. He never hesitated to lend a helping hand and he never sought recognition for his generosity.
“Greg was known for his humour and ability to make everyone around him laugh. His love for life and infectious spirit was one of the things that made him so special. He didn’t take himself too seriously and his lighthearted approach to life made being around him a joy.”
Every Saturday afternoon, Franklin would bring his mother some sweet pastries to sample, which always brightened her day.
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Franklin with his son Taylor on March 3, 1990.
“These moments were more than simple treats. They were a way to relive cherished memories and to honour the love that always connected our family,” said Smith. “Every time Greg entered the room, Mom’s face would light up. You could see the joy and comfort she felt just from his presence and the bond between them was undeniable.”
Franklin’s thoughtfulness also extended to his Aunt Dolores. Greg would often call her while running errands, asking if she needed anything, and would spend time with her, watching curling and baseball.
“On his last evening, they shared a memorable summer night together, driving around town with the windows down and singing at the top of their lungs to a tune on the radio,” Smith says. “It was a reflection of the profound love and joy he brought into her life and a beautiful memory of their bond — one she will never forget.”
Smith will always remember the peach and blueberry cobbler he made for her the week before he died.
In his last year, Franklin had grown even closer to his sister as they looked after their mother in a nursing home.
“He and I spent a lot of time on the phone together. He was like my backbone,” Smith said.
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Greg with his former spouse Janice Baker and their son Taylor at Taylor’s baptismal in June 1990.
Franklin’s strong connections with family extended to his former spouse, Janice Baker, who met him when she was working as a hostess at the Original Pony Corral.
“I seated Greg and his friends for breakfast,” Baker said. “He came every weekend. Greg had a smile that lit up a room and a laugh that was contagious. You could often hear Greg before you saw him. There was an instant connection.”
The couple eventually married and had a son. Though the marriage ended, their commitment to their son remained their priority.
“Respectfully, we co-parented, we really were ahead of the times of ‘uncoupling,’” Baker said with a chuckle.
When she remarried, the dynamics of their relationship changed and a modern family was created.
“It was not always sunshine and rainbows but, somehow, we always rose above the situation,” Baker said. “Greg was a huge part of our lives. He came on vacation with us. He spent Christmas mornings with us. He would help my husband with his business, working with him when he could. We went to hockey tournaments together and when my husband and I had our first child, Greg was his godfather.”
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Franklin with his godson Wyatt and his dog in the summer of 2002.
Baker noted that although they’d been divorced for many years, Franklin was still a big part of her extended family. He was like a son to her parents, including bringing his ex-mother-in-law flowers every Mother’s Day for thirty years.
“Greg will be remembered by many for his generosity of time and love,” Baker said.