Jim was born in Chicago, on December 10, 1942, and passed away unexpectedly on June 10, 2026. He is survived by his wife and partner of 30 years, Jan Nichols-Franz; daughters Harper and Renee; grandsons Joel, Ethan and Zac; sons-in-law Bobby and Dylan; dogs Herbie, Pigeon, and Zeus, and a very lucky cat, Ollie.
Jim attended Wright Junior College in Chicago and then became road manager for Dick Clark Productions in 1964. Remember “Bandstand”? Later he managed The Flying Karamazov Brothers and The Brass Band. Later Jim toured with the show band The Mob, highlighted by appearances on the Tonight Show and the 1973 Presidential Youth Concert. Jim and the Mob were inducted into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.
Jim moved to Alameda in 1981, where he was to become a pillar of service to the community. Jim worked in the early days of the Alameda Food Bank, both as executive director and board member. He then took the position as Director of the Alameda Red Cross for the next 20 years. Upon retirement from the Red Cross, he became the Community Development Coordinator for the City of Alameda, where he worked tirelessly improving the lives of all Alameda residents. Retiring from the City, Jim worked for Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter, where he helped establish and run the cat adoption center at South Shore Center.
Jim’s list of awards is endless and includes not one, but two “Jim Franz Days” in Alameda—bestowed by two separate mayors to mark his two retirements, neither of which stuck!
Since 1996, Jim and Jan have played jazz music as Island City Entertainment, both in Alameda and upon their move to Portland, Oregon in 2022. Not long after the move, Jim became involved in the Rose City Parade Committee, along with volunteering as mentor to high and middle school music department students, focusing on the horn sections.
Jim was a force of nature, lover of one-liners, Scrabble aficionado, friend to animals, gourmand, Hawaii adventurer, and an overall great human being full of love and kindness. His family is comforted that he was able to charge through life all the way to the end.
An informal gathering will take place at the Alameda Elks Lodge on Thursday August 27, from 2 to 5 p.m. As Jim would have liked it, Aloha wear will be in order.
With Jim’s love of animals and the community, donations to Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter (FAAS) or the Alameda Community Fund in Jim’s name would be an honor.
