Alma Francis

Alma Francis, age 93, of South Branch, died on Saturday, September 10, 2011 at Pleasant View Good Samaritan Center in St. James. Alma Martha (Heine) Francis was born on February 21, 1918 near St James, Minnesota to Fred and Anna Heine, and died at Pleasant View Nursing Home in St James on September 10, 2011 at the age of 93. Alma's father, Fred, was born in 1885 in Cook County, IL, and her mother Anna was born in 1888 in Hanover, Germany; they were married in 1912 in Truman, MN. Alma was baptized, confirmed and married in St John's Lutheran Church, South Branch. She also attended parochial school through 8th grade at St John's Lutheran. On April 21, 1946 she married Owen Francis and together they farmed in South Branch Township and raised 3 children (Karen, Marci and Mike). For several years in the early 1960's she worked for Tony Downs Foods. In the later 1960's and early 70's she was a superintendent at the Watonwan County Fair in the Horticulture, Foods and Creative Arts division. Alma was active in St John's Lutheran Church Ladies Aid, Home Extension Club, Primrose Garden Club and a 4-H Leader . She had a tireless work ethic and a soft heart. She spent many hours gathering eggs and caring for chickens as well as maintaining a huge garden and apple orchard, and canning the produce. She loved to cook and bake, was an excellent seamstress, and grew beautiful flowers every summer. She enjoyed family vacations and especially fishing trips to northern Minnesota and Canada - Alma was always in charge of the minnow pail! Alma loved her pet housecats (Sunny and Shadow) and she was an ardent Twins fan for many years. Alma is survived by her daughter Marci (Gene) Sanford of Faribault; son Mike (Shirley) Francis of Winona; son-in-law Gene Hanson of Rushford; grandchildren Nathan Hanson of Rushford and Michelle Hanson of Austin, TX; niece Joann (Darryl) Jensen of St James, niece Val (Terry) Drommerhausen of New Prague, brother -in-law Orville (Esther) Francis of Phoenix, AZ, great nieces and nephews and other close family and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband; daughter, Karen Hansen; parents; older brother, Walter Heine; and sisters-in-law Hazel (Ray) Stolze and Anna (Charles) Gruis.