William W. Franklin; Former Water Company Chief

William Warren Franklin, former president and board chairman of the Southern California Water Co., has died. He was 78.

Franklin died Thursday of viral pneumonia in a Torrance hospital, said his daughter-in-law, Jane Franklin.

Franklin spent half a century with the utility, beginning as an engineer in 1940 and soon becoming district manager at Big Bear Lake. He was named division manager at Claremont in 1946, vice president of operations in 1950 and later executive vice president.

He was elected president and chief executive officer in 1971, and retired in 1990 as chairman of the board.

Franklin served on the Los Angeles County Water Appeals Board for 20 years, chaired the Central Basin Water District for 20 years, and was active on the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Water and Power Board for 15 years.

In 1976 and 1977, he was named chief executive officer of the year by Financial World Magazine.

A native of Chicago, Franklin earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering at UC Berkeley in 1939.

He served in the Signal Corps in Australia during World War II.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Mary Ellen; three children, Barbara, Patricia and Richard, and five grandchildren.

Services are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Sunday at St. Lawrence Martyr Church, Redondo Beach.

The family has asked that any memorial contributions be made to St. Lawrence Martyr Building Fund.