Obituary for Darcus Rhodesia Franklin
Darcus was born in Loxley, Alabama. She was number 13 of the 13 children born to Rufus and Mary Franklin. Yes, she was the “baby” of the bunch. To say that she was beloved is putting it mildly. She was not only beloved by her mother, father and siblings but also by her nieces and nephews; some close to her age considered her a big sister; some she hardly knew because they were almost a generation older.
Darcus was a beautiful, shy girl. She was a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employee for 14 years, and everyone at FEMA uses one word in describing her “Private”. One of her high school classmates said she admired Darcus because she didn’t get mixed up in petty gossip. She was smart, friendly, focused and when it came to home/ space tidiness and appearance, fastidious.
When Darcus became a mother to her daughter and only child, Khadija, she showed how selfless she was. Despite suffering from sarcoidosis and not feeling well most days, she worked and worked and encouraged her daughter to excel. This autoimmune disease will not knock her down time and time again, and time and time again she would get back up to fight another day. She received excellent work evaluations and she never made her daughter feel that she needed to be near her. She encouraged her to go out and explore the world, liver her life. While in high school Khadija Played sports (Lacrosse, tennis) and was a member the DC Youth Orchestra as well as Children’s Chorus of Washington where she sang/ preformed in all of the notable venues in DC )Kennedy Center, National Cathedral many times); New York City ( Carnegie Hall); Rome, Italy (St. Peter’s Cathedral); notable venues in Siena and Florence, Italy. Khadija attended school out of state and out of country (New Orleans, Paris, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York) and has landed a job as a chemist for a pharmaceutical Company in Bronx, New York. Darcus was an extraordinary mother, sister, aunt, friend who deserves the highest praise. She earned a stellar evaluations as she reported to work with a small oxygen tank, and earned the same high marks as she graduated to working from home requiring a bigger oxygen tank. She just stopped working a few weeks ago.
Darcus’s sister, Lea (aka Mable), is going to miss Darcus’s Netflix introductions and watching “East Enders”, “Finding Your Roots”, and other intellectually stimulating shows with her. Lea said that her life will never be as rich without her sister, Darcus. It’s just hard to imagine a life without her. Rest in peace, Darcus. Job well done!
Darcus was preceded in death by her parents, Rufus and Mary Franklin, four siblings, McKinley franklin, Emma Martin, Willie Franklin, and Moses Franklin. She leaves to cherish and honor her legacy and memory, a devoted daughter and the love of her life, Khadija Franklin of West New York, NJ; eight siblings, Tolbert Franklin (Miami, FL); Mary Muggins, (Loxley, AL); Rufus life, Philadelphia, PA); Annie Odell Franklin (Loxley, AL); Artie (Diane) Franklin (Daphne, AL); Thomas franklin (Tulsa, Oklahoma);Frank Franklin ( Ft. Lauderdale, FL), Mable Lea Franklin (Washington, DC); a devoted brother-in-law, Chiji Otisi (New York, NY); and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
DIGNIFIED AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ENTRUSTED TO. SMALL'S MORTUARY 8822 COUNTY ROAD 64. DAPHNE, ALABAMA 36526
Darcus was a beautiful, shy girl. She was a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employee for 14 years, and everyone at FEMA uses one word in describing her “Private”. One of her high school classmates said she admired Darcus because she didn’t get mixed up in petty gossip. She was smart, friendly, focused and when it came to home/ space tidiness and appearance, fastidious.
When Darcus became a mother to her daughter and only child, Khadija, she showed how selfless she was. Despite suffering from sarcoidosis and not feeling well most days, she worked and worked and encouraged her daughter to excel. This autoimmune disease will not knock her down time and time again, and time and time again she would get back up to fight another day. She received excellent work evaluations and she never made her daughter feel that she needed to be near her. She encouraged her to go out and explore the world, liver her life. While in high school Khadija Played sports (Lacrosse, tennis) and was a member the DC Youth Orchestra as well as Children’s Chorus of Washington where she sang/ preformed in all of the notable venues in DC )Kennedy Center, National Cathedral many times); New York City ( Carnegie Hall); Rome, Italy (St. Peter’s Cathedral); notable venues in Siena and Florence, Italy. Khadija attended school out of state and out of country (New Orleans, Paris, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York) and has landed a job as a chemist for a pharmaceutical Company in Bronx, New York. Darcus was an extraordinary mother, sister, aunt, friend who deserves the highest praise. She earned a stellar evaluations as she reported to work with a small oxygen tank, and earned the same high marks as she graduated to working from home requiring a bigger oxygen tank. She just stopped working a few weeks ago.
Darcus’s sister, Lea (aka Mable), is going to miss Darcus’s Netflix introductions and watching “East Enders”, “Finding Your Roots”, and other intellectually stimulating shows with her. Lea said that her life will never be as rich without her sister, Darcus. It’s just hard to imagine a life without her. Rest in peace, Darcus. Job well done!
Darcus was preceded in death by her parents, Rufus and Mary Franklin, four siblings, McKinley franklin, Emma Martin, Willie Franklin, and Moses Franklin. She leaves to cherish and honor her legacy and memory, a devoted daughter and the love of her life, Khadija Franklin of West New York, NJ; eight siblings, Tolbert Franklin (Miami, FL); Mary Muggins, (Loxley, AL); Rufus life, Philadelphia, PA); Annie Odell Franklin (Loxley, AL); Artie (Diane) Franklin (Daphne, AL); Thomas franklin (Tulsa, Oklahoma);Frank Franklin ( Ft. Lauderdale, FL), Mable Lea Franklin (Washington, DC); a devoted brother-in-law, Chiji Otisi (New York, NY); and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
DIGNIFIED AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ENTRUSTED TO. SMALL'S MORTUARY 8822 COUNTY ROAD 64. DAPHNE, ALABAMA 36526