Drina Franco

Drina Lidia Franco was born in Guantánamo, Cuba, on October 24, 1927, to a large and devoted Catholic family. She was the daughter of Pablo Fernandez and Adela Perez and spent her adolescent years in Guantánamo with her many siblings. Drina was the third of their children.

Her parents, Pablo and Adela, had been sent to Cuba by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain in 1889. They married in Havana and went on to build a large family rooted in faith and hard work. The Fernandez family became successful sugar cane growers and Ranch owners, eventually operating multiple sugar mills that exported goods to the U.S., Central, and South America.

Drina was raised on a sugar cane farm working as an accountant and, at the age of 20, married her one true love, Federico Franco, a Lieutenant Commander in the Cuban military. Federico fought against guerrilla forces during the early insurgency of the Communist Revolution. Drina and Federico met through business dealings involving the Fernandez family farms, and soon after their marriage, they welcomed their only daughter, Alina Franco Fernandez.

Drina managed the accounting for the family business while Federico continued his military service. When the Communist Revolution took hold, Federico became a chief lieutenant leading resistance against Che Guevara’s guerrillas. He was later imprisoned for 13 years as a political dissident, four of those years spent enplantado—enduring the most extreme forms of punishment for refusing to comply with the regime.

Throughout those dark years, Drina remained a steadfast wife and warrior. She risked her safety to help distribute underground newspapers, support her imprisoned family, and care for their daughter Alina. She did everything she could to ensure Federico’s survival, even when she had no information about his condition or whereabouts.

Eventually, after years of homelessness and political instability, Drina and Federico made the difficult decision to leave Cuba. On January 6, 1970, Drina and Alina arrived in Florida through the Swiss Embassy, landing in Miami and seeking refuge at Casa de la Libertad, a shelter for Cuban political refugees. They were reunited with Drina’s sister, Sonia Fernandez, who was living in Pensacola, Florida, with her husband, whom had family stationed at a U.S. Navy base. Federico was not initially allowed to leave the island with his wife and daughter, but Drina and Alina were later able to send for him to also reach freedom in Florida.

It was in Pensacola that Drina, her sisters, her nieces and nephews, and her daughter began to build a new life. She worked for many years as a seamstress—first for Carmen Daniels, and later as the lead seamstress at Parisian’s, where her craftsmanship and artistry were admired by many. After retiring, she continued to make clothing privately, always with care and pride. Her greatest joy, however, came from helping her daughter raise her grandchildren: Oscar Alexander Atwell and Ariela Maria Atwell.

Drina is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Alina and Bernard Atwell; her grandchildren, Oscar Alexander Atwell, Ariela Maria Atwell, and Andrew Spencer; her honorary daughter and niece, Adella Ludkowitz; her beloved sisters, Mercedes Fernandez Nickelsen, Sonia Fernandez, and Elba Fernandez; and the many nieces, nephews, and friends whose lives she touched deeply.

She will be remembered for her quiet strength, unwavering faith, and the immeasurable selfless love she gave to those around her. Her home was a place of warmth, filled with the scent of Cuban coffee, the sound of old hymns, poems, and stories of resilience. She found joy in caring for others, especially her grandchildren, who lovingly knew her as a source of wisdom, comfort, and unconditional love. Her legacy is one of courage, loyalty, and grace, resilience, and devotion—a life lived with dignity, guided by love and sacrifice.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, April 3rd, at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Gulf Breeze, Florida beginning at 11:00 AM followed by interment at Holy Cross Cemetery in Pensacola. There will be a visitation starting at 10:30 AM Thursday at the church. A reception will be held at St. Ann’s parish hall following the interment.

All who knew and loved Drina are welcome to attend and celebrate her life.