Letha Fern Francis

1906 - 1986  (79 years)

• Name	Letha Fern Francis  [1]
  Birth	21 Dec 1906	Burr Oak, Jewell County, Kansas, USA   [2]
  Gender	Female
  _UID	9D6F957FBD2F47CB847466B2EA137D963E4F
  Death	1 Dec 1986	Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, California, USA   [2, 3]
  Person ID	I14821	Larry and Jane's Family Tree
  Last Modified	12 Jul 2020

  
  

  Father	Oren Bruce Francis,   b. 10 May 1878, Burr Oak, Jewell County, Kansas, USA d. 6 Jun 1939, Fullerton, Nance County, Nebraska, USA (Age 61 years)
  Mother	Lelah Edna Warren,   b. 2 Nov 1882, White Rock, Lane County, Kansas, USA d. 12 Aug 1972, Fullerton, Nance County, Nebraska, USA (Age 89 years)
  Family ID	F5388	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Donald E. Russell,   b. 23 May 1910, , , Nebraska, USA d. 8 Feb 1961, , Los Angeles County, California, USA (Age 50 years)
  Marriage	14 Mar 1930  [2]
  Children	1. Twanakay Russell,   b. 23 May 1939, Boise, Ada County, Idaho, USA d. 24 Mar 2003, Brenham, Washington County, Texas, USA (Age 63 years)   2. Terry Lee Russell,   b. 23 Jun 1945, La Jolla, San Diego County, California, USA d. 28 Aug 1988, , Sonoma County, California, USA (Age 43 years)
  Family ID	F5390	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	27 Jul 2019

  
  

• Event Map

  Death - 1 Dec 1986 - Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, California, USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  When Letha was 24 she ran away from home ending up in Denver, Colorado. There she worked as a cashier at a diner in the local train depot. (This is where she met Don). During this time she lived in an all-girl boarding house that had a curfew. But the gang would always stay out too late and Letha would have to sneak in at three or four in the morning. Her circle of friends started to pair up and get married. This is when Don and Letha thought, why not? So they promptly tied the knot. They were married on March 14, 1930. When a rowdy group of friends came to charivari them on their wedding night Don and Letha scurried up into the attic to hide. Letha was unable to have children of her own. Together they adopted and raised Twanakay Leonard (Russell) and Terry Lee Russell. Letha also raised three of her ten grandchildren, Dody Buchanan, Camby Russell and Kimberly Davis (me!). We called her Mom, and we were raised as her children using her last name Russell. She truly was our mom, in fact she was mom to everyone that met her and they were family to her. Mom had the ability to bring people together, she was the glue in our lives. Letha was born on December 21, 1906 in Burr Oak, Kansas to Oren Bruce Francis (Bruce)and Lelah Edna(Warren) Francis. Her grandparents (pioneers) moved to Kansas by covered wagon when it was still Indian territory. They lived first in dug outs adding sod houses to them later on. Her family was of sturdy stock, they worked hard and saved their money. When the family could they built wood framed homes. Letha's grandfather O.W. Francis built the finest house in Jewell County Kansas. It must be true because he had postcards printed out that said so. She was born and raised on a farm just to the north of Burr Oak, Kansas. Letha could garden, can foods, sew, knit, tat lace, crochet, repair furniture, walls and even plumbing in a pinch. She loved to document our lives and picture taking was a more then a hobby to her. Mom raised us knowing that she didn't raise quitters, She raised people that could. Mom loved adventure and would often on a whim turn off to see a two-headed snake or an assortment of rare rocks. Once she drove hours out of her way to see the London Bridge in Arizona. She thought it was going to be a 20 minute drive however, someone had mixed up the road signs so it was more like two to three hours away, but we made it there. As a girl it was a thrill for me to walk in the house after school and be greeted by Bing Crosby singing along with the smell something wonderful that she was putting together for supper. Mom was a wonderful cook , I have never met anyone that could match her home cooked meals. Our grandfather Donald passed away February 8,1961 leaving Mom on her own with three small girls. Money was tight for her but we never knew it. She had that knack of knowing which toy was the most important to get at Christmas and how to make ends meet. She often sat up all night sewing new clothes for us, she even made our prom dresses. In her life Mom attended Wesleyan College, worked as a housekeeper, cashier and became a licensed beautician. At the beginning of WWII Don and Letha moved to La Jolla, California with her brothers Dallas, Doyle, Vaughn and Verlin The men worked in a plane factory while mom stayed home and took care of the family. Later Grandma Francis joined them so mom could work at the factory also. However, if you asked her which job she loved the most she would say the one as a mother. In her life Letha lived in Burr Oak,Kansas; Fullerton and Sidney, Nebraska; Springfield,Illinois; Denver,Colorado; Oregon; Boise, Idaho; La Jolla, Los Angeles, Pomona and finally Lompoc,California. She and her husband even owned a tobacco plantation in Fayette,Missouri back in the 30's. Her life was lived for her children, especially her three girls Dody, Camby and Kimberly. She gave all she had to us and I miss her terribly. [[Letha was proceeded in death by both of her parents and her husband Donald. She was joined by her son Terry; her daughter Twanakay. Her grandson Tony Russell of Las Vegas, Nevada. Her brothers Dallas Francis and his wife Mary of Fullerton, Nebraska; Doyle Francis and his wife Agnes of Elba, Nebraska; Vaughn Francis and his wife Edna of Fullerton, Nebraska. She is survived by her brother Verlin Francis and his wife Elaine of Wayne Nebraska. Seven grandchildren: Dody Gonzales and her husband Jessie of Wes Allis,WI; Camby Caracoza of Garden Grove,California; Kimberly Jankowski and her husband Richard of Lincoln,Nebraska; Parrish Leonard and his wife Kami of Brennen,Texas; Charri Jung and her husband T.J.of Florida; Shane Leonard of Texas; Terry Russell of Las Vegas, Nevada. Two Step grandchildren Rick Leonard and Tammy Hill (Leonard).Great,grand children: Ian Quandt; Sean Quandt; Deidra Frey; Sarah (Caracoza)& David Brunet; Barbara Marie(Bobbi Caracoza)& Tony Leonard; Robin Caracoza; Dakota Caracoza; Brandon Davis; Lauree Jankowski; Ashley Leonard; Shelby Leonard; Ryan Smith; Karen Smith; Amber Leonard; Tara Gurley; Larry Gurley; Joshua Collins; Leah Leonard; Lacey Leonard and Laine Leonard plus a myriad of great,great grand children.]] [2]

  
  

• Sources

  [S469] 1920 Federal Census, 4 Aug 2017 (Reliability: 3). [S127] Findagrave.com, ( Findagrave.com . http://www.findagrave.com.), 5 Aug 2017, (http://www.findagrave.com). (Reliability: 3). [S473] California, U.S., Death Index, 1940-1997, 4 Aug 2017 (Reliability: 3).