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Submitted: 6/23/17 • Approved: 6/23/17 • Last Updated: 4/12/18 • R805431-G805430-S3
Billie Jo
Mar. 10, 1932
Dec. 11, 2010
Parents:
William Edgar Stuart (1896 - 1946)
Thelma E. Copeland Stuart (1901 - 1979)
Donald
Sep. 14, 1930
Nov. 1, 2012
Parents:
Theodore Leon Francisco (1906 - 1981)
Dortha Lee Russell Francisco (1906 - 1998)
Neosho, Mo. — Billie Jo Francisco, 78, Granby, died Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010, at Freeman Neosho Hospital ER, following a lengthy illness.
She was born March 10, 1932, in Newton County, to William "Jack" and Thelma (Copeland) Stuart.
Mrs. Francisco was a lifelong area resident. She was a member of the Church of Christ and an avid supporter of Al-Anon. She was also a homemaker, mother and grandmother, and worked for several years as a seamstress at Granby Mfg.
Billie and Donald J. Francisco were married Dec. 27, 1974, in Miami, Okla.; Don survives.
Additional survivors include three children, Patty Kelly, Granby, Tom Bowers, Neosho, and Mike Bowers, Granby; three stepchildren, Ronald Francisco, Crystal Lakes, Ill., David Francisco, Reno, Nev., and Bruce Ballard, Sparks, Nev.; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by five children; two sisters, Marcella Stroud and Carolyn Anderson; and a special grandmother, "Mamie" Lucy Elizabeth Copeland.
Donald J. Francisco, 82, Granby, died Nov. 1, 2012 at Mercy Hospital in Joplin, following a two year illness.
Don was born Sept. 14, 1930 on the family farm, east of Goodman between the community of Erie and McNatt. He attended a one room school from 1937-1942 and moved with his family to Southwest City where they lived until 1950, when they returned to the area after Camp Crowder was closed. As a teenager, he went to Kansas to work in the wheat harvest and also worked with his father in his shoe repair shop. Don received a war time draft notice and enlisted in the Navy. His first station to serve was in Guam and during his twenty years in the Navy, he served on five different ships, a AKA, AO, DD, APA and ARE. He served as command services force Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbour and retired from the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer in 1972 and returned to Missouri. He worked for the Goodman School District as a bus driver and for the Anderson-McDonald County school district as a bus driver. He was a member of the VFW and a Baptist. Don worked part-time in the Goodman area until 2005, at which time he and his wife, Billie Jo, moved to Granby due to failing health of Billie.
Don and Billie were married in 1974 and she precedes Don in death in Dec., 2010. Don is survived by six children, Patty Kelly, Granby; Ronald Francisco, Crystal Lake, Ill; David Francisco, Fernley, NV; Bruce Ballard, Sparks, NV; Tom Bowers, Neosho and Mike Bowers, Granby; six brothers, Ted Francisco and wife, Gladys, Mt. Vernon; Clark Francisco and wife, Linda, Neosho; John Francisco and wife, Barbara, Neosho; Cecil Francisco and wife, Kazuko, Neosho; Bill Francisco and wife, Sue, Paoulsbo, WA and Jack Francisco and wife, Nancy, LaMesa, CA; two sisters, Ella Lankford, Seneca and Linda Borushaski and husband, Dan, Aurora; numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.
In addition to his wife, Billie and parents, he is preceded in death by a brother, C. G. Francisco; a sister, June Wise and stillborn brother.
Contributed on 6/23/17 by tslundberg
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Record #: 805431