WILLIAM EARL “BILL” FRANCIS, OF MILO, ALBERTA PASSED AWAY MAY 20, 2000 AT THE PETER LOUGHEED HOSPITAL, CALGARY AT THE AGE OF 79 YEARS.
BILL WAS BORN OCTOBER 21, 1920 AT BASSANO, ALBERTA TO WILLIAM AND ELLA FRANCIS. HE BEGAN HIS SCHOOLING IN THE MILO DISTRICT, ATTENDING ROCKY BUTTE SCHOOL, THEN MOVED WITH HIS PARENTS TO NIAGRA, ONTARIO WHERE THEY RESIDED FOR FOUR YEARS, THEN RETURNED TO THE MILO AREA. BILL ENLISTED WITH THE CALGARY HIGHLANDERS AND SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE INFANTRY FROM 1943 TO 1945. HE RETURNED TO THE MILO DISTRICT WHERE HE CONTINUED FARMING.
BILL LOVED HIS FAMILY AND ENJOYED DOING THINGS TOGETHER. HE WAS AN AVID GARDENER AND ENJOYED PLAYING CARDS.
FARMING WAS HIS LIFE. IN HIS EARLY YEARS, BILL WAS A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER AT THE MILO UNITED CHURCH FOR MANY YEARS AND LATER IN 1988,WITH HIS SON THEY AFFIRMED HIS BAPTISMAL VOWS IN THE RIGHT OF CONFIRMATION AT THE HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH.
BILL WAS A PAST MEMBER OF THE MILO AND QUEENSTOWN LEGION AND THE MASONIC LODGE. HE WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF VULCAN ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BRANCH #21.
BELOVED HUSBAND OF LORNA FRANCIS AND LOVING FATHER OF TWO SONS TIM AND DANIEL FRANCIS, A BROTHER LEE FRANCIS ALL OF MILO, MOTHER-IN-LAW CLARA NELSON OF VULCAN, BROTHER-IN-LAW ART (MARILYN) NELSON OF MILO TWO SISTERS-IN-LAW NORIEN (JOHN) CAMPBELL OF MOSSLEIGH, CAROL (BILL) STEINER OF ARROWWOOD, HIS AUNT ROSE NORTHCOTT OF BROOKS, NUMEROUS NIECES AND NEPHEWS.
BILL WAS PREDECEASED BY AN INFANT BROTHER CECIL, HIS PARENTS, UNCLES SAM FRANCIS, BEN FRANCIS, CLAIRE FRANCIS, EMMETT FRANCIS, ELBA FRANCIS AND AUNTS DEE TOBIASON, STELLA KIEMELE AND MINI LINES.
FUNERAL SERVICE THURSDAY MAY 25, 2000 AT 2:00 P.M. AT MILO COMMUNITY HALL WITH REV. ED SUMMERS OFFICIATING.
INTERMENT MILO LUTHERAN CEMETERY.
CASKET BEARERS WERE BLAIR NELSON, WADE NELSON, KEVIN UMSCHEID, LANE STEINER, JEFF CAMPBELL AND TOM NELSON.
IF FRIENDS SO DESIRE TRIBUTES IN BILL’S MEMORY COULD BE MADE TO EITHER THE ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION 1331 – 29 ST. N.W. CALGARY T2N 4N2 OR THE CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME. DIRECTORS. TELEPHONE 485-2633 OR E-MAIL CONDOLENCES TO vulcafuneralhome@hotmail.com.