It is hard to say goodbye to someone very special. But, when it comes to city savior and festival creator Nancy Stewart-Franczak, it’s been monumental.
Nancy was not just a person of faith who enshrined Delray Beach with festivals, fairs and events; she was a force of nature that even Mother Nature would have deferred to.
To know Nancy is to know that anything is possible. She had the ability (and gift) to take an idea and turn it into a reality tinged in gold.
To think that this woman of steeling determination is no longer walking among us seems unreal. The reason is that Nancy was larger than life.
But, as her Pastor Bob Bender said at her recent memorial service, “Something beautiful would shine through Nancy, and it should not stop now. If you want to be like Nancy, do it. The world needs more kindness and love. Carry it forward.”
The service, held at the Delray Beach Municipal Golf Course, was more a celebration of Nancy’s life, rather than a somber affair. Over 250 people came to toast the leader and creator of some of the biggest festivals in Delray and beyond.
Her original Garlic Fest manifesto was 45 pages and accounted for every minute detail. When we asked her about this tradition in 2008 she said, “I have been successful solely from the training I received from IBM. I learned to be detail oriented, to have structure, integrity, responsibility, commitment and deadlines. It also taught me to be organized.”
It may have been the details that kept her circadian rhythm in perfect sync with her productions, but it was also a belief that doing for others was a sacred religion. “I’m the kind of person who would rather get involved than sit around and complain. You can’t make a difference unless you get involved,” she told me years’ ago.
And get involved she did – in gargantuan proportion.
Nancy was called the Garlic Queen, but she was much more than that to those who knew her. C. Ron Allen was one of them. “That deep personal connection was Nancy’s trademark. She saw people – their struggles, their quiet hardships – and she acted. She was honest, loving and passionate. She was a visionary who succeeded with kindness and determination. Her memory will be a blessing.”
Jeff Perlman also spoke. “Nancy was a force full of ideas and passion; it is staggering what she accomplished. She never stopped growing and learning. She touched so many of us so deeply that Nan-cy will always be with us in spirit.”
While Pastor Bob was speaking at the memorial service swift winds were kicking up outside. It seemed as if Nancy had something to say about this act of finality. A few minutes later a buzzing sound came from the microphone and the words “disconnect” rang out repeatedly. It seemed like kismet to me.
The service continued and so did the accolades for this Pennsylvania-born woman who loved every particle of Delray Beach.
She also took on projects when (and where) people needed her for something bigger than themselves. She did just that for the EJS Project.
Founder Emanuel Jackson also feels the burn of loss with Nancy gone. “Nancy believed deeply in the mission of the EJS Project. She loved that our work centered around youth, community and inclusion. She admired us because our events welcomed people from all walks of life. Her belief in us meant more than she probably ever knew.”
Like everyone else Jackson loved and respected Nancy. In keeping with her desire to be of service she volunteered her time, resources, and expertise to the EJS block parties.
“Nancy made them bigger and better, more meaningful and inclusive. At last year’s event she told us to ‘move out of the way and let FMG handle it.’ She poured herself into making sure our events were done right, with excellence and heart.”
It seemed that ‘being of service’ was Nancy’s life-long occupation. She once told me that she was going to slow down and not do so much work, but when I saw her working a few months later, she cheerfully said, “I couldn’t do it.”
You can see her relentless service to others everywhere you turn in Delray, and in everyone you meet. “Thank you for all the support you gave to the professional firefighters and paramedics of Delray Beach Fire Rescue Local 1842. You helped us with our firefighter calendar, pancake breakfast events, art and jazz on the avenue and always being there to support us,” said Michael McCleary.
For Jennifer Costello-Robertson, of Festival Management Group (that Nancy founded) it is also a sad goodbye. “You could always count on Nancy’s smile at the beginning and end of each day. She was the person everyone went to for words of encouragement. Nancy was selfless, always thinking of others.”
For the Delray Chamber, losing Nancy is a hard pill to swallow. “Nancy was a force of nature and a kindred spirit to me. We loved her grit and wit, her strength and her smile. This is such a heartfelt loss for us,” said Chamber CEO Stephanie Immelman.
You cannot speak about Nancy without thinking about her beloved husband John Franczak. When we found out about their courtship and marriage, Atlantic Avenue Magazine did a Valentine’s Day feature on them.
Nancy was very forthcoming about their relationship. “Three hours after our lunch we were still talking. Then John asked if I would go out to dinner with him and I replied, ‘you don’t want to go out with me. I drink, I smoke, I swear and you seem religious.’”
But it didn’t matter. Their commitment to each other was more powerful than anything on that list. When asked about the success of their relationship Nancy said: “We keep our bond strong by allowing each other to be who we are. We strive to remember to celebrate our differences and make room for one another’s
gifts in our life together.”
In January 2010 they got married at the Butterfly Garden in Orlando. At the memorial John got up and briefly spoke. “Nancy was a sanding block; she made me better. She was my
hero.”
Nancy Stewart Franczak will be missed. But her impact will live on for decades to come in Delray and beyond. Her life and legacy will also set an example of what is possible if you live in service to others.
Donations in Stewart-Franczak’s memory can be made to the nonprofit EJS Project – ejsproject.org.
