God bless the Francis family. We will meet again

This is my uncle Richie. What can I say. Knowing and loving him all my life. He got me my first job at a paper route.   A wonderful person

When Christ returns we will be raised up together with him to meet Christ in the air and then we will all be together forever 

Uncle Richie will always be beloved. I thought he was the tallest man I had ever seen. He was always a gentle giant. He was a great example of a gentle strong black man. He was a constant in my life since my birth and got me my first job. 

God bless Aunt Janice Valarie. Laura. Amen!

I am the widow of Warren Francis, son of May Francis and brother of Alice Leigh.  I have fond memories of meeting Richard at family get togethers.  I always found him to be a kind and gentle man.

I have always treasured the kind way in which  I was accepted into the Francis family.   And, the  wonderful food and stories shared.  

 I have a son, Colin Francis, and two grandsons, Connor Francis and Cameron Francis.  I would like to receive a  link to the fund that is being set up In his memory.   

With loving thoughts to Janice, Valerie and Laura.  
Beverly Francis 


My heartfelt love, prayers, and condolences to the Francis Family and beloved friends and neighbors of Mr Francis. 
Mr Francis is a major part of the fabric of the great neighborhood that we grew up in Hillside/Haven/Brookside/Beechwood etc
I'd see Mr Francis a lot bc we had lived only about 4 houses away from each other. When we saw each other he'd always give me a friendly smile, wave and say hello. He was a great friend and golfing buddy of my uncle Norman. Not only was Mr Francis a great friend and neighbor but a positive influence and role model. I'm very thankful to have grown up around him. My heart grieves for his loss and I pray for God's strength and healing for all those fortunate to have known Mr Francis. May God bless you Francis Family.

All my prayers and love,
Ted Aquilino

I will always remember "Uncle Richie" as a symbol of a perfect father. He raised two beautiful and powerful daughters as I am doing now. I could only HOPE to do it the way he did ...with such GRACE, BALANCE, FAIRNESS and TRUE LOVE. Mr. Francis was definitely one of the persons on our block whom you did not want catching you doing bad because you know his expectations of you were high. You know he held you in a high regard and you never wanted to soil that depiction  he had of you.  Thank you for that Baba.  King Richard, you will be dearly missed, but I know you are with Adassa (Granny), Ruddy, Portia, Dwight , Troy and you can help Leighton,  Tony and Jerry get there too. I will always love you and I will never forget you. May the Most High Jah Bless you Baba Richard Francis.
With love from Mr. And Mrs. Gregoey A. Phillips and the Phillips family.🙏🏾❤🖤💚

To Francis Family, my family, (Mom, Val, Laura and last but not least Morgan) ❤️❤️❤️

We’re do I begin, when I learned of this news, I was devastated 💔💔💔 for Mom, Val, Laura and Morgan, and then for myself. As I’m writing my eyes keep tearing up and I cannot see to do this. It is for me reliving the deaths of all of my love ones all over again. This one really and truly hurts. 
I’m truly grateful that we had him for 87 years, but this still very hard pill to swallow. We are truly struggling will this. They say  God calls home his angels 😇 early. Daddy Francis was an angel. 😇😇😇

So I’m going to say, be safe up in heaven and know that you are loved by us ❣️❣️❣️LOVE YOU DADDY FRANCIS❣️❣️❣️❣️ 

Grace Phillips ❤️❤️❤️

Dearest Mrs. Francis, Laura and Family,

Our deepest condolences on the passing of Mr. Francis. He was always so kind and supportive to all of us. 

Our girls will always remember him asking for their autograph after their performances.  They got such a kick out of their interactions with him. 

All of our memories of Mr. Francis are filled with lightheartedness, laughter and love. 

May be peace be with you all. 

Love,
The Nobles Family
(Marko, Melissa, Aria, Zola)

To the Francis family my deepest sympathy.He was my supervisor, teacher, union representative, golf instructor, father figure, and one of my closest friends.  His passing has left a void in the hearts of many. 

I have many memories of this wonderful soul who tutored my son while he was in elementary school, our children learning and striving for excellence was very important to Daddy Francis  and he would help at any time.. He taught you the true spirit of community and Africaness.. he will be sorely missed because he was truly everyone’s father..I am so happy that I got to see him live a wonderful life to the ripe age of 87.I will always remember him and keep his memory very dear to my heart.I love you “baba Francis. Thank you for all you did..he was 1of 1. From 1 of your Hillside kids..♥️💔🕊

Love  always 
Shelly Phillips

Dear Laura and Francis Family,

Words cannot express how sorry I am for your loss. I send my deepest sympathy and heartfelt prayers to your entire family. Mr. Francis was such a strong, kind, caring and thoughtful man with a big heart and smile. He was always there for his daughters and their friends at Ursuline. I felt like he had adopted us all.  Mr. Francis was truly our honorary dad. He never complained when we asked him to  pick us up here or drop us off there. Even as we grew up and had families of our own,  he never stopped caring or wanting us all to succeed in life. Mr. Francis was an amazing human being who loved his family and touched so many people. He will truly be missed. Thank you for sharing him with us all these years. May God continue to bless you and  give you peace.

With love and gratitude,
Mitzi Ambrose Washington and Family 

To the Francis family,

It is with a heavy heart that we send our deepest sympathy to the Francis family. Richard was a  kind ,warm, compassionate and kind soul.
 He was always there  for you when you needed a helping hand. He  listened when you needed to talk and talked when you needed advice . He  will be greatly missed. Rest in peace my friend. Rest In Peace.




Cousin Richard was one of the warmest , gentle , welcoming people we knew . Always ready with a smile , a solution , a positive spin on life  and family . Always full of love . Now he really did show us what God wants us be like with one another, because  God is love! He will be greatly missed. We will shed tears , but remember him and his smile . We will smile ear to ear when we think of him and know that we were so blessed to have had him in our lives , but forever keep him in our hearts . Much love, prayers, thoughts, support as you need,  Sheryl , Cyril , Jordan , Ian , Susan and family.

My deepest condolences to the family for your loss.  It was an honor and privilege to meet and work with such a kind, compassionate and hard working man committed to all persons and causes around him.  He was an example of a life well lived by the legacy left behind.  Peace be with you all and with his beautiful and gentle soul. 

Sending healing prayers of peace, comfort and strength to the entire Francis family during this extremely difficult time. I am so deeply saddened by this news. I had the pleasure of being introduced to Mr. Richard Francis several years ago when I assisted him and his beloved  church members with various Real Estate projects. Over the years, I  have enjoyed talking and laughing with him about life and current events. Mr Francis always generously shared his pearls of wisdom. He was fervent in his faith, adored his family and would proudly talk about them often. He was also passionate about education and elevating his community. God always sends you exactly who you need in your life and I am beyond grateful that he allowed our paths to cross. He has truly been a blessing to my family and I will definitely miss hearing his powerful voice affectionately greet me as "Supermom".

- [ ] To Janice, Val and Laura… my heart deeply, deeply aches for you, in the loss of Richard. Having just experienced losing Rita, his passing was even that much more devastating. Your ‘Pop’ was the Brother I never had, and whose opinion was always valued. “A friend in need is truly a friend indeed”… and when we lost daughter Dawn, you all provided the love and support, to help us get through that horrific time in our life. So it is,…we are left… with great memories( Liteef 😊) which will sustain us… and hopefully we can make it to the Vineyard next year to hug and carry on with life as they would want us to do. 
] Love Brian( UncleB), Scott( Scoots) and Grands Ryan & Alec. 


It’s been a year of great loss but I take comfort in knowing my Mother was there among the many friends and family that were waiting to welcome Uncle Richie home. 

I’ll always remember his humor most of all, always with a quick remark to make us laugh. I can still hear him calling me “Scotty” in a staccato manner that made me feel loved and appreciated. He made everyone feel special.  

Love to Aunt Janice, Valerie and Laura.  My fondest childhood memories are of time spent with all of you. 

May Uncle Richie Rest In Peace. 

Daddy Francis, this is your daughter Heline. Your sudden departure has left a vacuum in my heart. Your voice was clear and strong the last time I spoke with you, so I thought we will meet to celebrate your recovery. Little did I know that you'll leave us. As usual, I called during Thanksgiving to express my gratitude to you and the family, not knowing that you were not physically with us. I still can't take it, but man proposes and God disposes.  You welcomed me into your family and sheltered me as you would for your own daughters. 
Daddy, the great things you did for me have laid a good foundation for my family. I still can't believe it, your sudden departure is a shock; you are not with us physically, but you are spiritually. You are resting in the bosom of the Almighty God. Daddy no amount of words can describe your kindness. This affirms grandma Hycinth's sayings; "God gave me one, and he gave me a good one". You are really dear to me and my family.  God bless you for all you did for me.  You will forever be remembered in my life. Daddy rest in peace. "Damirifa due"

Heline and family

Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

To the Francis Family,

Thank you for sharing your wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and friend with me. Mr. Francis, as I always called him, (for some reason calling him Richard seemed improper) was a warm, caring gentleman. Addressing him by his full name was what I felt he deserved because he was worthy of the acknowledgment. 

Sunday service will not be the same without his smiling face at the back of the church. His presence was captivating, his stature was commanding, and his demeanor was comforting. 

Mr. Francis was truly a man of God, and I will cherish his memory for the rest of my life. 

Yolanda Howell


We were a gardening committee of two. Lady Howell as he would call me, and Sir Francis as I would call him. For many years we visited nurseries in Larchmont and New Rochelle to purchase plants and flowers for The Church of St. Simon The Cyrenian. We were so impressed with the curb appeal at Sound Shore Hospital that I had to locate the gardener who then told us where we could buy quality plants and flowers.

Sir Francis always showed a deep concern for the education of our youth, to this end he spear-headed many after-school programs. We will always remember the beat of the “drummer”.

A gentleman, a confidante, a caring individual, a friend to many, that was Mr. Francis, always Mr. Francis.

Sincere condolences to Mrs. Francis and family.

Loleta Howell


Mr. Francis was extraordinarily kind to me and my family when my mother died. His thoughtfulness and considerate actions continued long after and I came to consider him a friend. 

I offer my sincere condolences to the Francis family. May fond memories of times well spent with your beloved bring smiles to replace tears.

Peace be with you,

Donna Edwards

My Deepest Sympathy to the Family.
May He Rest  in Peace.
I Sincerely Appreciated His Friendship.

All I can say is Uncle Richie was a great uncle I will never forget when we first talked about golf and he gave me my first golf club and I practice with it everyday until I got my own and I still have that club Liana's favorite memory is Uncle Richie's jokes we will miss him dearly.

Sending out love to Aunt Janice Val Laura and Morgan 


My condolence to the Francis Family my brother. my brother, I cannot find words to express my feelings, when I first met you I knew that we were brothers maybe not from the same mother, but from the same father (GOD) your honesty, thoughtfulness, and respect for others, will always be rememberd, and that your place at the right side of GOD is already secured, REST In PEACE my BROTHER   

Deepest condolences to the Francis family on the passing of Mr. Francis.  Mr. Francis was a very dear friend to my family as we all attended church at St Simon's the Cyrenian, He was always there for the kids and will be missed.
God's blessings throughout this difficult time, may Mr. Francis Rest in Peace with His Heavenly Father
Carlson & Sylvia Rogers

This year Cousin Richard calmed my tears and fears when my mother passed. Now that he too has gained his wings, I don't have his calming voice with all of its reassurance.
In 1999, Cousin Richard drove my mom and I off to my college dorm with all of my belonging in tow. He even purchased my first computer that fall.
I remember, many years ago, telling Cousin Richard that he must be the tallest person I know.  The smile he gave and his booming laugh will be remembered forever. I can see the smile and hear the laugh now. No one has ever or could ever fill a room with their own joy the way my Cousin Richard did. 
We have lost a true gentleman but gained a giant angel. We love you and will miss you eternally. Give Mom a hug for us.
 


As I sit here letting the news sink in, I can remember the smell of Uncle Richie’s pipe. I use to like that aroma. It was a much nicer aroma than a cigarette

I remember when Aunt J and Uncle Richie lived on Franklin Ave and having “play dates” with Val.  Wow cuz and Gen X thinks play dates are something new. We would sit at that kitchen table, I can’t believe that table still exists, with Uncle's newspapers scattered on it and him reading each one getting the different angles on the current events of the day while we drew and colored. He made me feel like I was just as good as Picasso, with my scribble he’d call abstract art. Then he’d tell me I’d have to make another to take home because this one was for his refrigerator, man if that kitchen table could talk…!

Then came Cousin Laura. Alert and everyone saying she cried with attitude. Laura would watch us older cousins and take notes and before you knew it, she was “ripping and tearing” as grandma would say, with the rest of us. Then came Morgan, Uncle Richie’s last princess, the cherry on top.  A lot of cultures put emphasis on male children but Uncle Richie was a true” girl dad “even before Kobe, Kobe just made it cool. Uncle Richie was their world and his girls were his.

I pray, Aunt Janice that you Val, Laura and Morgan can find comfort in knowing your husband, your dad, your grandfather our Uncle Richie has been called home and keep faith that we will humbly be reunited with those love ones who’ve gone before us.

Love you Aunt J, Val, Laura and Morgan.  

Sherill aka flower girl



Dear  Richard " Uncle Richie"

Your were a class act and a loving family man. I'll always cherish our conversations and laughter.

Sending much love and sympathies to Aunt Janice, Val, Laura and Morgan. 

May you all find Peace and  solice during this difficult time. 

Much love and respect, 

Ron N ❤🙏 


Dear Valerie and family,

I was so sorry to hear about the death of your father. I knew him primarily through his friendship with my brother, Martin Harris, and Deacon Ken Radcliff, who were his classmates. Whenever I spoke to him (mostly by phone), I found him to be gracious and helpful. My heart goes out to your family, and I will keep you all  in prayer. May he RIP.

Dear Laura, Valerie, Mrs. Francis and Morgan,

I am deeply saddened by your loss. Your father was an amazing man. He was so very kind to Amir and me. Mr. Francis always treated us as though we were family.  He was consistently willing to lend a hand or provide advice. I was never made to feel as if I were an outsider. Amir and I are grateful for the opportunity to have known him. Laura, please know that I am thinking and praying for you, Val, and Mrs. Francis. If you need anything, please let me know how I can be of assistance.


Warmly,

Michelle Blackwell






Dear Uncle Richie,
I will always remember time spent in the Vineyard with the Francis family, you driving us to get ice cream cones and saying "how is my favorite lawyer". Sending our heartfelt condolences. Love, Lorna, John, Justin and Brandon. May the Lord comfort Aunt Janice, Val & Laura and Morgan at this time. Love Lorn

Janice, Valarie, Lori and family, 
Our family shares the deepest sadness of the passing of Richie. You are all in our prayers. From my earliest memory Rich was always there. Closeness, and friendship our families have shared only makes his loss that much harder to accept. Throughout my life Rich was a second father, with words of wisdom and encouragement. As I’m sure he had for you all. I know he was a sounding board for my father as well. Rich was a lifeboat in life’s storms. Always Chivalrous, Always loyal and reliable. His guidance, sense of humor, and camaraderie made Rich one of the most beautiful souls world and in my life.  
Stay well 
Peter

Dear Mrs. Francis and family,
Our deepest condolences on the passing of Mr. Francis.  We worked closely with  him at The Church of St. Simon The Cyrenian. He was a true gentleman; he was always willing to help; he was kind to everyone , especially to the children who held a special place in his heart and was a faithful church member for all the years we have known him. We will truly miss working alongside him and worshipping with him. May he Rest In Peace. Cuthbert and Gloria Barker.

Dear Laura, Valerie, Mrs. Francis, Morgan  and Family,

I was so sorry to hear of Mr. Francis’ passing. I have so many wonderful memories of your Dad since at times I felt like I practically grew up in the Francis household from elementary school through high school. (: 

I always remember your Dad as being tall, classy, super nice, a wonderful girls dad, Mrs. Francis’ husband, one of our chaperones whenever we needed a ride to the movies or to the mall (until Valerie got her driver’s license that is!), a great dance partner to Laura & Valerie at Ursuline’s Father-Daughter Dance, and a fun Dad to your dogs, Tuggy & Tippy! Mr. Francis always made me feel welcome whenever I was visiting Laura, and he & Mrs. Francis personified the “It takes a village” concept before it became a catch phrase. 

My deepest condolences to all of you as I know that he’ll be missed. I love you all!

Pam

To Laura and the entire Francis Family,

No words can adequately capture my deepest sympathies. I am so sorry for this great loss, but I know that your Dad was surrounded by love, support, and admiration. 

Your house was the first friend’s  house my parents ever let me go to as a child. Coming from my short family, I remember how tall and regal your dad always looked. He always had such a warm smile and soft demeanor, and that is how I will always remember him. 

Many blessings to you and you family now and always. 

Nadine

OBITUARY

Richard Augustus Francis

March 9, 1934 – November 23, 2021

Wanamaker & Carlough Funeral Home

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