Deacon served as chaplain for North Little Rock police

Deacon Donald J. Francis died Sept. 25 at 76

Published: October 6, 2016

Deacon Don Francis

Deacon Donald J. Francis, who served more than 30 years as a deacon at St. Theresa Church in Little Rock, died Sept. 25. He was 76.

Born Feb. 18, 1940, to Joe and Ruth Francis, he was an only child growing up in Oklahoma as his father fought in World War II. When his father took a new job, the family moved to Hot Springs near Oaklawn Park where he developed a lifelong love of horse racing.

He graduated from Bishop DuBourg High School in St. Louis and joined the seminary for a year. His family said he learned he “would rather be a daddy than a father” and left to study at the University of Missouri. Francis joined the U.S. Army and later studied business at what is now the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

He met his wife Bettye while she was working in a toy department store around Christmas time and two weeks later, they were secretly engaged. They were married for more than 51 years and have three sons.

Francis worked primarily as a salesman with Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages and retired after 25 years.

In the 1980s, he was ordained with the first class of the permanent diaconate and served at St. Theresa where he was a member for more than 40 years. Throughout the years, he assisted in the sacraments and served in the Men’s Club, Knights of Columbus and as a chaplain for the North Little Rock Police Department. He went to Oaxaca, Mexico, to improve his Spanish and worked as a corporate recruiter for the Arkansas ESL programs.

Francis enjoyed traveling, performing in local theater and singing with a barbershop chorus.

He is survived by his wife, Bettye Francis; three sons, Joe Francis, Mark Francis and Tony Francis; and nine grandchildren.

A visitation was held Oct. 2 at Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth Funeral Home in Little Rock. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Oct. 3 at St. Theresa Church.