The Rev. Delton W. Franz
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Rev.
Delton W. Franz, 73, former director of the Mennonite Central Committee
Washington office, died March 6, 2006, after a lengthy illness.
He was born Dec. 12, 1932, to
John J. and Sara Siemens Franz in Hutchinson. They preceded him in death.
He graduated from Bethel
College in 1954 and married Marian Claassen in June of the same year. After
pastoring in Kansas for several years, they moved to Chicago to attend
Mennonite Biblical Seminary. He was pastor of Woodlawn Mennonite Church on
Chicago's south side from 1954 to 1968. He spent 1964 in New York City at Union
Theological Seminary, earning a master's of sacred theology degree.
He was a founding member of
Churches for Middle East Peace, a coalition of 20 religious groups. He attended
the Oslo agreement signing ceremony at the White House in 1993. He also focused
on U.S. policies toward Latin America and traveled widely throughout the world.
His life work centered on
peace making and race relations. He and his wife were active in the civil
rights movement of the 1960s. In his work with the MCC, he worked tirelessly to
assure justice for all people regardless of nationality or faith.
In addition to his wife,
other survivors include: a son, Gregory C. Franz of Pasadena, Calif.; daughters,
Gayle S. Franz of Newton and Coretta Franz-Eby and husband Rich of Lancaster,
Pa.; two grandchildren, Justine and Adam Franz-Eby of Lancaster, Pa.; a sister,
Eldine Harder (Paul) of North Newton; and a brother, Leroy Franz of Goessel.
A memorial service will be
delayed until May for family health reasons. Memorial gifts should be sent to
the Mennonite Central Committee.
