Debra Beth Francis

Debra Beth Francis, age 70, a true Georgia Peach, passed away peacefully on September 17, 2026, following an eight-year journey with cancer. Born October 13, 1955, in Atlanta, Beth was the youngest of three children born to Anderson and Elizabeth Cochran. A loving wife, mother, sister, and friend, she was preceded in death by her parents, Andy and Elizabeth, and her brother, Don.

She is survived by her husband, Richard; her children, Cole and Rachel; and her brother, Roger Cochran, and his wife, Dorothy Merrick. After a 10-month long-distance courtship, Beth and Richard were married on her father's birthday in 1987, and immediately moving Beth to Denver. Colorado. They returned to Atlanta in 1991, Beth worked for a short time and then established her home and devoted herself to raising her family. Beth was kind, gentle, and patient, with a genuine love for serving others. Before having children, most of her employment was in customer service, where her caring nature was evident in the way she treated people. Her private life centered on her family, friends, and church. She readily volunteered for whatever her children’s teachers needed and was actively involved in church ministries, including teaching Awanas and working with special-needs children at Woodstock First Baptist Church. Beth loved many things in life. She loved to travel and discover new places, order a FO and chili dog at The Varsity, enjoy a Heath Bar Blizzard, sip a cup of hot tea, sit on the beach and build a hand-dripped sandcastle, ride horses, and play the piano. She especially loved anything that involved speed. Whether riding motorcycles, riding a zip line, racing down alpine slides or mountain coasters, she loved to go fast. And she always wanted to make the horse run !

She also had a special appreciation for the simple pleasures of nature. A walk or a hike, she also loved watching birds and filled the backyard with feeders and birdhouses, delighting in visits from bluebirds, hummingbirds, cardinals, yellow finches, wrens, and her favorite, the Brown Thrasher. Beth was creative and “crafty” in every sense of the word. An accomplished seamstress, she began sewing her own dresses as a teenager and continued into her early twenties. She enjoyed making things that brought joy to her family, from individual birthday flags that were updated each year to seasonal decorations throughout the house. Her creativity especially came alive for holidays, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. She even made Halloween fun. One year, she transformed a Little Tikes wagon into a firetruck; and another, converted it into a tractor, complete with coordinating outfits for the children. Throughout her difficult cancer journey, Beth remained strong and positive, meeting each day with grace and faith. She is now at rest with her Savior, Jesus Christ. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew her.