Julius Dale Franklin

January 14, 1945 - March 4, 2021

Julius Dale Franklin was born on January 14, 1945 in Berkeley, California to Fred Odell Franklin Sr. and Dorothy Stroger-Franklin. Starting at the age of five, Dale was raised in Berkeley with his two sisters and three brothers by Fred Odell Sr. and his second wife Wille Ora Jackson Franklin in Berkeley. Dale was Baptized at McGee Avenue Baptist Church at an early age. While in Berkeley, he attended Longfellow Elementary, Burbank Junior High, and Berkeley High. Throughout his life, Dale had come to be known by three names: his middle name Dale (mostly used by family and friends); his first name Julius; and Jack, the nickname he gave himself as a young adult to express his fiery side. Dale was always occupied with something to keep him busy. During his adolescence, he worked as a paperboy and enjoyed playing sports in high school. After graduating, Dale worked for his mother Dorothy at her record store. He even embraced his musical interests and recorded his own 45 RPM record. Dale also worked at the Berkeley Iron Foundry for some years. Rather than confine himself to a 9 to 5 type of job, he later found a position as a Ship Clerk on the docks of the Bay Area, giving him the flexibility to set a schedule that worked best for him. Although most of Dale’s professional career was in the Bay Area, his work with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU Local # 34 for the Ship Clerk’s) brought him to several ports around the country. Dale worked as a Clerk for over 25 years. He worked in Houston and Galveston, Texas, and in New Orleans, Louisiana as a Dock Worker for the International Longshore Association (ILA). Dale even worked in Alaska on the Alaskan Pipeline during the early 1970s. In addition to being free-spirited, Dale was appealing, engaging, sensitive, poetic, and he had a great sense of humor. He would always drop knowledge, wisdom, and game on his siblings, children, nieces, and nephews whenever his mouth opened. Dale never seemed to allow things to get to him. He always maintained a positive attitude and he always surrounded himself with loving individuals. On Thursday, March 4, 2021 Dale made his transition from the physical to the nonphysical realm of life. He is survived by his son’s Lorenzo and Gregory; Fred Odell Franklin, Jr (brother), Allen David Young (brother); and Wesley Michael Franklin (brother); his significant other, Dorothy Stewart, and a host of cousins. He was preceded in death by his parent’s Fred Odell Sr., Willie Ora, and Dorothy, along with his sisters Beverly Yvonne Franklin Ware and Carolyn Ann Franklin Edmonds.