Yvonne Laurette Francis' Obituary
Yvonne Laurette Francis. March 10, 1935 to June 1st, 2017.
Yvonne Laurette Francis died peacefully in her sleep on June 1st, 2017. Yvonne was born to
Alfred and Yvonne Hall in Staten Island, NY. She is survived by her brother Michael Hall of
Albany, NY, her daughter Linda Pike of Tucson, AZ, and her son Stephen Francis of Las Vegas,
NV.
Yvonne's proudest accomplishments were her two successful and intelligent children. She did
an exemplary job of raising them, and they adored her. She was Stephen's loudest cheering fan
at his high school basketball games, and she and Linda shared a voracious appetite for reading.
The three were extremely close, and shared the same wry sense of humor. Most family
occasions were marked more by laughter than anything else. Yvonne had a deep, hearty
chuckle and a wonderful way of telling jokes. She loved people, and made friends everywhere.
She would often strike up a conversation with strangers, and her quick wit and intellect always
made an impression on people.
Yvonne's influence went far beyond her own children, though!She will also be fondly
remembered by the thousands of school children whom she taught over a career of more than
30 years at Randall Elementary School in Cortland, New York. She was very committed to her
students, who would probably call her "tough but fair" and she always got a fond hello when
meeting them in later years.
After retirement, Yvonne moved out to the desert, to be near her daughter, Linda, a longtime
resident of Tucson, AZ. Yvonne loved the southwest and its special aesthetic. She loved
turquoise jewelry and the art of R.C. Gorman. She would never tire of Tucson's saguaros,
ocotillos, and brilliant cactus flowers. Yvonne was an avid walker and loved to take outings to
Sabino Canyon, Mount Lemmon, and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
Her mother was affectionately called Big Yvonne, despite being much shorter than "Little
Yvonne"!The two took a trip-of-a-lifetime back to her mother's homeland of Belgium, and the
journey made for many stories and memories at family get togethers. After her mother's death,
Yvonne found solace in her Episcopalian faith. For many years, she volunteered with other
church members to feed the homeless.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America would be welcome.
Sentiments may be sent to the family through www.evergreen-tucson.com .
What’s your fondest memory of Yvonne?
What’s a lesson you learned from Yvonne?
Share a story where Yvonne's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Yvonne you’ll never forget.
How did Yvonne make you smile?