Millicent Evadney Francis, born in Claremont, St. Ann, Jamaica in 1933 to Winnifred and Clifford Royes, died in Cary, North Carolina, USA on December 2, 2018. She is survived by her husband of almost 56 years, Howard O. Francis, son, Dr. Howard W. Francis and daughter, Lisa A. Battle, grandchildren Natalie Francis, Benjamin Francis, Anthony Battle and Camille Battle, daughter-in-law Sarah Francis and son-in-law Michael Battle, and several nieces and nephews.
Millie graduated valedictorian of Happy Grove High School in Port Antonio and then from Brooklyn College, New York with a degree in Biology. She returned to Jamaica in 1961 where she married and raised her family in Montego Bay until 1980. In this time she taught biology and general science at Montego Bay High School, and then worked at the National Water Authority, where she climbed the ranks from Bacteriologist to Chief Chemist. She also served the community as member of the Montego Bay Soroptimist Club. After immigrating to the US she continued to work in public health in Los Angeles County as an Environmental Health Officer from which she retired in 1998. She subsequently moved to Seattle, Washington, Charlotte, North Carolina and Cary, North Carolina, which is her final resting place.
Millie was a lady of substance and a model citizen in two countries that she called home. She was a trailblazer as she and her brother were the first in the family to graduate from college, and she was proud to serve as a role model for subsequent generations both inside and outside of the family. She always was ready to lend a helping hand and share an encouraging word she also enjoyed fashion and international travel and being with family and friends. Millie will be missed most of all as a loving wife, mother, grandmother and aunt.
Following the viewing, funeral services will take place on December 16 at 1 p.m. at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 SE Maynard, Cary, NC 27511. In lieu of flowers the family requests that contributions be made in Millicent’s name to the Alzheimer’s Foundation (https://www.alz.org/) or the Hearing Loss Association of America (https://www.hearingloss.org/).
