Louise LaFrancis

Louise LaFrancis of Charlotte, NC was called home to the Lord on Saturday, November 2, 2013, at the age of 93. She was born December 18, 1919 in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Naomi Grothaus Sunderman and Edwin Frederick Sunderman. She attended Lyons Township High School, LaGrange Illinois and Chicago Music Conservatory, Chicago, Illinois. Her career as a professional cellist included the National Symphony of Washington DC where she was one of the first female musicians. She performed with many symphonies over the years including Florida Symphony of Orlando; Theater Under the Stars, Houston, Texas; Ocala Symphony, Ocala, Florida and Charlotte Civic Orchestra, Charlotte, NC. She performed musical programs with many touring celebrities including Sammy Davis, Jr., Shirley MacLaine, Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Jack Benny, Isaac Hayes, Glenn Campbell, Steve Lawrence, and Eydie Gorme. Her love for music included teaching cello to both children and adults over the years, both as a private instructor and in public schools.

She was married for 52 years to her high school sweetheart, the late Joseph G. LaFrancis. She is survived by her sister, Ruth Ellerthorpe; her daughters, Kathleen Vines, Judith Whitehead, Laurel Markusen; her sons Joseph E. LaFrancis and David G. LaFrancis. She has 4 nieces, 3 nephews, 7 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren.

Memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, November 9, 2013 immediately followed by a visitation and reception at Harrison United Methodist Church, 15008 Lancaster Highway, Pineville, NC. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made in her honor to the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, Inc., 820 SE Fort King Street, Ocala, Florida 34471, web address: http://ocalasymphony.com

Online condolences may be left at www.McEwenPinevilleChapel.com

In Memory of Our Mom

Through her music and her family, you will recognize Louise LaFrancis. Born to a German family in Detroit, Michigan in 1919, her parents were Naomi and Edwin Sunderman and she has one younger sister, Ruth. The music started early. Mom was gifted, and she began cello lessons in the fifth grade. Over the years there were three teachers who impacted her journey in music: Elizabeth Hagberg, LaGrange, Illinois; Professor Hans Hess, Chicago; and Howard Mitchell, Principal Cellist, National Symphony. As a young adult, she studied at the Chicago Conservatory of Music and from there went to Washington DC’s National Symphony where she was one of their first women musicians. But that was after high school. After she was married. It was wartime when she married Joe LaFrancis, her high school sweetheart …

”We met in school. We both played in the orchestra and he used to walk me down the hall after class. It was the highlight of my day! I played cello and he played kettle drums. I thought he was so handsome. Well he was! We were both juniors, so I was 16, maybe 17. He was 6 months older than I. We played concerts at Christmas and in the Spring. And we played for a musical – I remember Pirates of Penzance. Music styles then were Swing, Jitterbug, and Big Band. It was the 1930’s and Cab Calloway and Tommy Dorsey were big names in music. We went to the prom together when we were seniors. I remember that his mother spread a sheet on the front seat so I wouldn’t get my long dress dirty!

We were married March 24, 1941, the day before Joe was inducted into the Army. He was in the first draft from his town of Brookfield, Illinois. He was sent to Rockford where he received clothes and then went by train to California with lots of other guys. At first they lived at the Santa Anita Racetrack stables that was home to the racehorse Seabiscuit! Dad was in the Army for 5 years. In the Engineer Corps. He built roads and bridges in Hawaii before Pearl Harbor was bombed. I lived in Arlington, VA with my parents while Joe was stationed overseas. I played in the National Symphony in Washington at that time. That was my job.”

She played 3 seasons with the symphony in Washington, but when the next year contract came, she didn’t sign it and instead moved to California to be with her husband. Careers for women took a backseat to family in those days.

After the war, Dad was discharged from the Army. He and Mom spent the next 30 years raising their 5 children, Kathy, Judy, Joe, Laurie, and Dave. They explored careers and the country. They were pioneers and adventurers! They lived in Illinois, Colorado, Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas. They guided their children with love and gave them the space to follow their own dreams.

Throughout those years Mom continued to play her cello at church programs. In the 1960’s she auditioned for the Florida Symphony and started the second half of her music journey. The four oldest children were out on their own when Mom, Dad and Dave moved to Texas in the 1970’s. Dad worked for the Houston Chronicle and Mom played for Theatre Under the Stars, Houston Ballet, and Texas Opera Theatre. She played in the orchestras for many touring celebrities over the years such as Anita Bryant, Engelbert Humperdinck, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Tom Jones and Johnny Mathis. In Texas Mom’s music grew to include teaching cello in middle schools. She had a special talent for inspiring beginning students.

In 1988 Mom and Dad built a house and moved to Ocala, Florida to pursue retirement careers, go camping, and enjoy their grandchildren. They had a special place in their hearts for Dachshunds, and there was always a long family dog with short legs at the house. Gardening was a passion with Mom and she grew spectacular African Violets. Dad had an auction business while Mom continued teaching in Florida. She joined the Ocala Symphony where she played first chair in the cello section. She continued playing for many church programs. If we were planning a December visit to Ocala, we first checked her rehearsal calendar for open dates! She and Dad would play duets at home in the evenings – cello and guitar. An unusual combination, just like they were, but what a good fit!

Dad passed on to heaven in 1993. Mom had lost her soul mate, but she had her faith, her family, and that lifelong companion, her cello. She moved to North Carolina and continued her music with the Charlotte Civic Orchestra and private teaching where she taught until the age of 90.

“I remember…

o Proudly showing my little new cello to the neighbors.

o Slipping on the ice walking home from school and breaking my bow.

o My mother giving up her Saturdays to take me to Chicago for lessons.

o Playing a solo at high school graduation.

o Giving a recital in Kimball Hall as a reward for winning the Society of American Musicians Young Artist’s Competition in Chicago.

o My teacher gave me a second weekly lesson free because my parents could afford only one.

o Traveling to Pittsburg to represent the Conservatory by playing “Ave Maria” with the Westinghouse Radio Orchestra. Deems Taylor was master of ceremonies. Do you remember him? He was the voice in Walt Disney’s “Fantasia”.

o Borrowing a drumstick from the percussion section to use in place of my missing end pin.

o Playing a concert with soloist Pierre Rampal who had a memory lapse and skipped 16 measures. And later 4 more.

o Playing for guest conductor, Arthur Fiedler, whose bright beady brown eyes never missed a thing.

o Walking through pouring rain in my bare feet and holding up my long black dress to cross the street to the auditorium in Orlando. Picking up my damaged cello from Delta Airlines.

o Playing with the on-call orchestra for Sammy Davis while my husband helped the ushers with crowd control.

o Boarding the orchestra bus on the freeway to play in Dallas for Isaac Hayes on a pink amplified cello with cotton in my ears. He always paid us with cash in a pink envelope.

o Getting a little silver whistle from Shirley MacLaine who gave the ladies in the orchestra a picture and a gift.

o Climbing on a platform 3 times to be towed to the center of the Astrodome during the Houston Rodeo to play for Glen Campbell, Vikki Carr, and Engelbert Humperdinck.

o Playing with the Saint Saens Organ Symphony with E. Power Biggs for the dedication of a beautiful new waterfront church in Corpus Christi.”

Mom’s life was long, joyful, and truly well-lived. We’re grateful that we were there to share it with her. Our prayer for her is much joy in Heaven with the Lord. And Dad. We miss you both.