Delano ‘Lano’ Franklyn left us on February 10, 2023. He has left a deep void among his family, friends, colleagues, Fortis fraternity and even adversaries. He had fashioned his passion and zeal for justice, into a pit-bull type of tenacity in pursuing any objective. He loved words and whether in jest or seriousness, weaponized them to his advantage.
Lano’s passion and boldness propelled him into leadership positions at the high school, tertiary, political, national, and professional levels. At every stage, the organizations, and people he served, benefited vastly from his honesty, intellect, forthrightness, and humor. Through it all he never changed; neither great triumphs nor disappointments changed his demeanor; he remained approachable and available his entire life. His natural joviality and effervescence remained intact,
As an attorney, senator, minister of state and an ambassador of sorts, Delano advised prime ministers, political leaders, associates, and friends. In the role of ‘diaspora ambassador’ he was instrumental in helping the Jamaican diaspora forged closer ties with Jamaicans at home. KCOBAUSA (New York), benefited from his outreach. As a manager of his alma mater, Kingston College’s track program, it was not uncommon for him to do yeoman work with the Penn Relays team in Philadelphia and still have the energy on the following day to fraternize with members of the team and other Fortis in NY, at the chapter’s post-Penn Relays banquet.
No gathering was too small or too distant for him to try to attend. On his own dime, he made himself available for many such occasions. His generosity and loyal friendship were constants. On an occasion when I tried to compensate him for a delicate legal matter which he had successfully handled for me, his response was “Winston, come home. Yuh deh a farrin too long!”
Lano is physically gone but his spirit will remain alive among all of us who knew him well.
Walk good, me bredda.
Winston ‘Ras’ Henry
KCOBAUSA
Secretary.