Lara Roberta Francis

Lara Roberta Miller Francis, known by friends and family as "Bobbye", and daughter of Frank and Katherine Miller, was born July 24, 1930 and suffered a brain injury that resulted in Cerebral Palsy. Her parents were told that she would never walk or live to be grown. Through constant love, encouragement, and exercises from her parents this diagnosis was proved to be wrong. Bobbye walked at age two and practiced climbing stairs so that she could go to school as others. She accepted Christ as her personal Savior at Immanuel Baptist Church. In 1948 she graduated from Young High School. Her first job was at the Cerebral Palsy Center at St. Mary's Hospital. She wanted to be independent and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida in the fifties. She worked at Goodwill Industries and retired from Cecino Formal Wear after many years. She volunteered at the Civil Defense Sky Watch Ground Observor Corps in Florida where she met her husband Gene Francis who preceded her in death. They had a son, Robert Francis. Bobbye is survived by her sister, Kay Horner and husband, Joe; a niece, Katrina Fox and husband James (Bucky); nephew, Wendell Horner and wife Mitzi; cousin Steve May and wife Audrey, all of Knoxville; cousins of Jefferson City, Lloyda Smith, Norma Rogers, and Pat Howard. No one is enjoying more a new painfree body than our Bobbye is today! The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to Tammy Musick (CNA) for her special care for Bobbye. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Cerebral Palsy Center, 241 E. Woodland Avenue, Knoxville, Tennessee 37917. Family and friends will meet at Woodlawn Cemetery Friday, January 26, 2018 for a 2:00pm graveside service, Rev. Buddy Johnson officiating. Condolences may be offered at www.berryfuneralhome.com