Overview:
Edner Franck, a beloved chief in Chicago’s Haitian group and a pioneer of Haitian soccer within the metropolis, died Jan. 27 at 87 after a quick battle with dementia. He was the founding father of L’Ouverture Soccer Membership and DuSable Soccer Membership and performed a key position in growing the Haitian soccer scene in Chicago.
Edner Franck, a beloved patriarch and devoted chief in Chicago’s Haitian group, died Jan. 27 after a quick battle with dementia. He was 87.
Born in Anse-à-Veau, Haiti, Franck constructed a outstanding legacy of service, integrity, and devotion to his household, tradition, and group.
A talented mechanic with an entrepreneurial spirit, Franck immigrated to Chicago within the Nineteen Sixties, the place he labored tirelessly to help his family members. His deep ardour for Haitian tradition and soccer led him to discovered and handle two groups—L’Ouverture Soccer Membership and DuSable Soccer Membership—which grew to become cornerstones of the Haitian group in Chicago.
“Our household patriarch was really a selfless man,” mentioned Kareen Nunnally, Franck’s daughter. “He would relatively go with out meals to assist others—a real act of service and sacrifice. He beloved his household, his nation, his group, his Haiti, infinitely.”
Franck’s dedication to the event of Haitian soccer within the metropolis was unparalleled. A former participant himself in Port-au-Prince earlier than immigrating in 1963, he rapidly set about creating alternatives for younger Haitian gamers in his new dwelling. In 1981, he based L’Ouverture Soccer Membership, impressed by his childhood hero, Haiti’s revolutionary chief Toussaint Louverture. He later established DuSable Soccer Membership, named after Chicago’s Haitian founder, Jean Baptiste Level du Sable.
Recognizing systemic points throughout the Metropolitan Soccer League, Franck spearheaded efforts to determine the Third World Soccer League—later renamed the World Soccer League—in 1988. When the league struggled to safe a devoted soccer area, he efficiently lobbied the Chicago Park District to repurpose Jackson Park, reworking it into the guts of the Haitian soccer group. His dedication turned L’Ouverture and DuSable into championship-winning groups, providing younger Haitian males an area to domesticate self-discipline, teamwork, and delight of their heritage.
For greater than 40 years, Franck was a pillar of Haitian soccer in Chicago. His contributions have been honored in 2016 when he grew to become solely the second Haitian inducted into the Illinois State Soccer Affiliation Corridor of Fame. Past sports activities, he was deeply concerned in philanthropic work, notably by way of Operation S.O.S., which supplied support to underserved communities in Haiti. He was additionally an energetic member of the Haitian Catholic Mission of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
A person of religion, generosity, and unwavering dedication, Franck was predeceased by his beloved spouse, Denise. He leaves behind his cherished kids, Kareen and Richard; grandchildren Bryan, Bradford, and Braxton; in addition to a number of household and associates who will deeply miss his kindness, knowledge, and enduring legacy.
A celebration of his life will probably be held on Feb. 8, 2025, on the Haitian Catholic Mission of the Archdiocese of Chicago at St. Josephine Bakhita. The wake will start at 10 a.m. CST, adopted by the funeral service at 11 a.m. He will probably be laid to relaxation at Evergreen Cemetery in Evergreen Park, Illinois.