Leon W. Francis

Portsmouth, RI - Leon W. Francis, Jr., 81, of 222 Lawrence Drive, Portsmouth, RI, formerly of Spring Lake, New Jersey, died Sunday, January 11, 2009 at Newport Hospital, Newport, RI. He was the husband of Joan Elizabeth (Brown) Francis. Born in Red Bank, NJ on June 13, 1927, he was the son of the late Leon W. and Hazel (Brandt) Francis. Mr. Francis served in the United States Navy during the Korean War. From 1950 to 1992 he was self employed at Brown's Auto Shop in Spring Lake Heights, NJ. Mr. Francis was a member of Portsmouth United Methodist Church in Portsmouth, RI and St. Andrews in Spring Lake, NJ. He was a Mason with Ocean Lodge 89 F. & A.M. in New Jersey, the American Legion Post 432, where he was Past County Commander and Past Post Commander in Spring Lake, New Jersey. Mr. Francis severed his community as a Boy Scouts Leader for Troop 31 of Spring Lake, NJ, a Past Captain, President and Chairman of Board of Control of the Spring Lake First Aid Squad, a member of Spring Lake Heights Fire Department, the Friends of Island Beach State Park, and the Jersey Shore Beach Buggy Association. Besides his wife of 58 years, he is survived by his children, Robert L. Francis and his wife Valerie (Hanna) of Freehold, NJ, and Karen Francis Meyer and her husband John of Portsmouth, RI, his grandchildren, Courtney Francis and Lauren Francis of Freehold, NJ, Kristin Meyer Graham and her husband Jeffrey of Savannah, GA and Steven R. Meyer of Boston, MA his great grandchildren, Ashlee and Elisabeth Graham of Savannah, GA, his brother Mervin Francis of Oakhurst, NJ and Seminole, FL, his step brother Gordon Francis of Howell, NJ, his step sisters Sara Alliano of Howell, NJ and Kaaren Hayberg of Jackson, NJ and many nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Allan Francis of Twin Mountain, NH. A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2009, at 1:00 pm in Portsmouth United Methodist Church, 2732 East Main Road, Portsmouth. A memorial service will also be held at St. Andrews United Methodist Church, Spring Lake, NJ, at a later date. Burial will be private. Donations in his memory may be made to Portsmouth United Methodist Church, Music Program, 2732 East Main Road, Portsmouth, RI 02871 or to St. Andrews United Methodist Church, Spring Lake, NJ Music Program, 4th and West Lake Avenue, Spring Lake, NJ 07762.