Will Franklin

Joy. It’s this quality as much as any other that marked Will Franklin. Blessed with an infectious smile which he shared freely, he drew others to Jesus through his mere presence. To the very end he steadfastly persevered in his battle with systemic diffuse scleroderma, and his faith is now sight as he lives pain free in the presence of his Savior.

Will adored Jesus, spoke of him endearingly, and epitomized the Lord’s heart to everyone, whether at the Service Center or in the field. He humbly carried this out in his role as the mail center manager in Mission Services, a position he served in for 20 years, until his retirement in October.

Donna McKenzie, who served as the Creative Services director and Will’s supervisor, shared this about her colleague:

“I worked with Will for nearly two decades. Not only was he a wonderful co-worker, but he became one of my best friends. Will taught me so much about servanthood and everything he did was to the glory of God. He often said, ‘All of the boxes we send from the mail center are going to be packed with excellence because we do this for the Lord!’ Will was so full of joy — even in hard times. His smile lit up the room and his prayers were the best. Our loss is heaven's gain. I will miss you my dear friend.”

Eddie Lucero, who worked side-by-side with Will in the mail center, also remembered his friend.

“It was a pleasure to serve with and under Will for the past 20 years. This man of faith and integrity loved his Savior Jesus Christ, his family, and Young Life, and dedicated himself to serving them all with his whole heart. Will also loved his sport teams — that was one conversation we had a lot — when Will was not feeling well, we’d talk about his family and his sport teams and that would lift his spirits. He will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. Will was not only my boss, but my brother and my friend. I will miss him dearly.”

Will is survived by his wife, Julie, who serves in Young Life’s Human Resources department; their children Julian, Natasha; grandchildren, Arayanna and Isaiah; as well as extended family.

We remember with gratitude this humble man who, along with every piece of mail, graciously delivered life, laughter, and love.