Francina M. Cargile

Her early childhood education began at A. Quinn Jones Elementary. In 1960, the family moved to St. Petersburg, Florida where Francina attended 16th Street Elementary and Middle School. Her high school years were spent at Gibbs Senior High where she enjoyed singing in the Gibbs Senior High Saint Cecilia Choir. One of her fondest high school memories was the choir visiting and performing in Nassau, Bahamas.

Her family attended Travelers Rest Missionary Baptist Church. Francina became a member and was involved in serving, including the youth choir and the junior usher board. As a young adult, she married Kenneth Davis with whom she gave birth to three children. Their union was dissolved in 1973.

After graduating from the University of Florida in 1974, she established a career as an occupational therapist. She took her talents to The Child Development Center in Lakeland, Florida, Sunland (turned Tacachale Center) in Gainesville, FL, Sunland in Marianna, FL and a few other nursing facilities in the surrounding Big Bend area and remained in practice for 25 years before retiring in 1999. In 1977, while working in Lakeland, she married Dwayne Cargile with whom she gave birth to three children. The family moved to Gainesville in 1979, and to Tallahassee in 1990 for better career opportunities. Together, they raised five children over 30 years. They both enjoyed holding intellectual conversations with their children about the future, and vacationing with their triplet grands, or just playing out in the yard with them. Their union was dissolved in 2007.

Francina enjoyed sewing, knitting and desktop publishing. Occasionally, she would make an outfit for a family member or knit blankets for her grandchildren. She took pleasure in spending one summer showing the triplets how to make pillows. She would always look for something special she could do or share with her grandchildren. Francina also spent time learning desktop publishing. She put the skills to work by creating colorful Christmas letters and other various publication projects.

However, her biggest passions were gardening and writing short stories. Wherever she resided, she was going to plant a garden with fruits, veggies and flowers. She loved flowers, naming the red rose as her favorite. She became a member of the Tallahassee Area Rose Society, a group that promotes the culture, preservation and appreciation of roses. Later in life, Francina became a published author. Her first short story was published among a collection of short stories by budding authors alike. After this first publication, she continued to write her own collection of short stories.

In 1990, Francina joined Bethel Missionary Baptist Church where she was an active member in the choir, a working member of the health care ministry and a participant in the couples’ ministry.

She joins in rest one daughter, Francena M. Davis, two sons, F. Michael Davis (Sharonda), Jeremy Cargile, and one sister, Elise M. “Alice” Burton, who all preceded her in death; and she leaves to cherish her memory: Three daughters, Kenya Proctor (Steven), Jocelyn Carlisle (Ross) (North Carolina), and Lauren Cargile; Eight grandchildren: G. Ugochi Nnaji-Williams (Juanterrious), Kelechi Nnaji, Kenstin Nnaji (North Carolina), Zain Cargile, Liam Cargile, Liliana Carlisle, J. Cade Carlisle, Hassani Perkins; One sister: Barbara Bailey (Gainesville, FL) and several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A wake for Francina will be held Friday, April 25, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home, 1737 Riggins Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32308. A funeral service will occur Saturday, April 26, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, 224 N Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Tallahassee 32301. An entombment following the service will occur at Culley's MeadowWood Memorial Park, 700 Timberlane Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32312.