We are sad to inform you that the other half of our founding couple, Henry "Hank" Cibula, John's dad, passed away this week. After a five month separation, he has gone to be with his wife, Sue, his childhood sweetheart, to whom he was married for 59 years.
While Sue was more visible to you as the person who managed the day to day affairs of the restaurant, Hank was the idea man behind the scenes. It was his idea to purchase the Inn along with a partner who he later bought out resulting in a Cibula family-owned and operated business. Many of the strategic and marketing plans in the first couple of decades were his ideas.
He was also an avid foodie and always asked John about the special features. Until his very last days with us he was requesting that Pam and John bring him take out (even at the hospital) from his favorite restaurant, the Franklin Inn! Two of his many Franklin Inn recipes that you all love and enjoy daily are the Cilantro Jalapeno Vinaigrette and our hot wings (although the wings are debated between Hank and John who both claim them as their own idea so let's just say family collaboration).
The photos below were taken on one of the many trips to Mexico where Hank loved time entertaining with family and friends while exploring the culture, artwork (some hanging on our walls today) and food of Mexico looking for ideas to bring back to you. I was blessed to enjoy some of these trips too.
I only knew Hank for three or four years before his stroke but during those first years of dating and marrying, John, Hank was warm, hospitable, outgoing, a food pusher for sure, and generous to me. He loved sharing the things he loved with those he met. His obituary and memorial service details are here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/henry-cibula-jr-obituary?id=38412759
