Homegoing Celebration For Mildred Lee Francis, Sunrise May 18, 1939, Sunrise May 29, 2008, Service Thursday, June 7, 2008, 7:00 PM, Astoria Baptist Church, 1117 21st. Street, Astoria, New York, 11106, Officiating, Rev. Dr. Bobby Moore

Don't grieve forme, for ~o'w I', frel
Vrn followintfthe path God laid for me; I took .Uis harid wheh 1:heard Hin1 cflll -
I turrted_my -b:,lck ana left it ill.
I could not stay another day. To laugh, to love~ to work, or play; Tasks left \J.ndon~ must stay-that w~y _I found that J?lace~ at.th_e close of day.
' If my parting.has left a void
a Then fili it ~ih remembered joy.
A friendshipshared; a la~gh, a lciss Ah, yes ;_,these thirigs I- too will miss.'
Be not 'burdened with 'tiffies of ~orrow; ~
I wish you the'sunshirie of tomorrow. Mylife's been'fun, I've savored.rimch -
a Good friends, goo~ times; lo~~d- one's touch. niy Perh~ps time seemed all :t~o .brief'
. Dori't lerigtheriit now With undue grief Lift up your heart and .sh~tre with'm~.
Go~ wanted me~ no;v~HESET ME FREE.
Firial Service apd In~emment _
~ur~day~Jup:e: 6, .200.8
... Viewirig .-~ ~:._ 7 PM
,. Ho!Iteg~irtg. 7P.N ~nterrtm1ent .,_. .,,

I

,'...

: ~:

PRELUDE.

PROCESSIONAL _
1
INVOCATION.....................- . ~- ....Deaon Ron Milliner

SCRIPTURES

.

. OLD :TESTAMENT. -. ~Elder Gerry Veney .

- Proverbs 3:5-6; Psplm$ 91-

'NEW TESTAMENT.._..._.~'.Minister Yasmln Williams '

I Thessalonians 4:13-18

HYMN OF COMFORT.. : . . ,-~ .........::.A/lela H_opper & Elijah Jon~s .



'Biessea Assuranee



'

~

..

PRAYER OF COMFORT... ~ ........'....~Elder Ralph Turner

.

,. '

.-

...

'

. SOLO....... ;... , ~'~ -~- ~ ... ;.._.. :.......... :;.Elijah.'Jones

. :;

-.. : H# E,ye Is On The Sparrow

' ....

.1

. ~ ~

{ ~- ::- ~>

.'

.

.

: RESOULtioNS .&A~xN(i~EiJGH~ENT

SELECTION......... :..... .'.......... ....Astoria Baptist Church Choir



I Got A testl"'ony

CE~EBRATION OF LIFE..Sab~ina Marshali .. .

SELECTION....... :.. :................ :..Sis. A/lela Hopper ,.
Long As i Got King Jesus

EULOGY.. ~ ......................Rev. Dr. Bqb~y Moore

T/fE LAST PASSING GLIMP$E BE/YDICTION REESSIQNAL

. ~'
.
.'

A Bett~i.Pla_ce

She's in a J:>etter place right now .
Th~ sl_le's..ever been before; All pain is ~gone; she's now. at rest;
Nothitig tro\lbl~s ~er a_riymore.

)

'

It's we who feel the burd~n of

Our sadness artd our grief;.

We have,to cry, to moum .out; loss,

Bef~~e we get relief.

We know we'll reconnect with her
At the end of each life's.road; We'll ~ee h~r cherished face again
When We rel_ease OUr earthly load.

-By Joanita Fuchs

."I Am Left'~
'I am left with just- a picture in my heart and in my mind.
The image o'fmy mother.
that I close_~y eyes to fmd...
l am.left with just my memories
of ti.r.ne now long past The childhood scenes and hopes and dreams that did not seem to last
' I am left-Mth sweet ass~ane:e
'"t' hat my grieving soul aw~ts.' ForI'll meet her inthe morning . just inside the eastern gates.
by Gloria Small-

A Tribute To My W'ife, Our Mother, Our Friend & Now -Our Guardian Angel

It's hard to say goodbye, we're sad, hurt and

wondering why?

We close our eyes and see your face

Knowing you're in a better place.

Just think, no worries, suffering and pain,

Grab

hold

of

God's

U
~

n...c..

h

a

n

g

i

n

g

Hands.

If We Could Bring You BackAgain
If we could bring you back again, For one more hour or day,
We'd express all our unspoken love; We'd have countless things to say.
If we could bring you back again, We'd say we treasured you,
And that your presence in our lives Meant more than we ever knew.
If we could bring you back again, To tell you what we should,
You'd know how much we miss you now, And if we could, we would.
Ib' Joanna Fuchs

~
Tmd in the Lord with allyour heart and Jean not onyour own understanding; In all your Wf!YS acknowledge him, and he shall directyourpaths. Proverbs 3:5-6
God realized that one of His angels was missing and sent down a search party to find her. Mildred Lee Francis answered God's call and departed this earth May 29,2008. Born May 18, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York, she was the oldest of 5 girls born to the late J ohnie Albany and Corine 9wens 'Haynes.

She met Charles Emanuel Francis in 1956 and two years later they got

married on June 21, 1958 and to that union, three daughters were hom, Alicia, J ohnell and Deneen. This marriage l~sted for 50 years.

Mildred received her formative education within the New York City

Public Schools, graduating from Julia Richman High School in 1957.

She furthered her education as an adult attending LaGuardia Commu-

nity College in 1972 graduating in 1974 and on a-part time basis she

continued at John Jay College where she obtamed her BA degree in

Sociology in May of 1980.



She ~as employed _at the Board Of Education working in various schools throughout District 30 for 13 years before becomirig a Social Worker for which _she served and helped the elderly for 22 years. She was employed at the Martin DePorres Cent~r as a.Senior Social Worker and finally becoming the Director of the Home Health Care Program. In 1992, she gained employment at the Jamaica Services Program for Older Adults (JSPOA) for which she worked as a Senior Case Martager and life line coordinator serving the elderly population. She received numerous awards, certificates and commendations for her outstanding work.

Mildred received her Christian experience at the age of 9 attending the
Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Harlem, NY. As an adult she became a member of the Astoria Baptist Church where she had been actively serving for 45 years. She was involved as the director of the Uth (pronounced youth) for Christ Choir, she served on the Health and Human Resources Committee, the Ladies Aid Committee, she was a member of the ABC Adult Choir. She served as church treasurer for 10 years and she was the Chairperson for Small Groups Ministry until her
illness. She was collsecrated in 2001 as a Deaconess and was ordained and licensed.in 2006. She did this with a passio~ ~~d had served for the
past 7 years . She also served on-the Trustee Board. Mildred had a heart .for people that always showed forth God's love..She wasn't concerned about what people could do for her, but more of what she could do for
until people. Even the end when she had difficulty in breathing, you
could find her ministering to others.

God has called her home to join her parents Johnnie and Corine, her younger sister Phyllis, her in-laws Edward and Bessie Francis, her brother:.in-law, Emanuel]ones and her best friend Annabelle Hunter all
who have precede her in death ..

Mildred leaves to moum; Her loving husband of 50 years, Charles E .

Francis, her loving daughters, Alicia Hopper,Johnell Francis, Deneen

Francis. One son-in-law, Andrew Hopper, One grandsonJarel

Jennings, two granddaughters, Aja Hopper and Tara Hopper, her sisters,

RosilandJones, Sarah Wells and Sabrina Marshall, one brother-in-law,

Lendall Marshall, one sister-in-law, Dorothy Francis, her loving cousin,

Dorothy T. Martin, eight nieces, Deborah Gibbs, Elaina Jones, Colleen

Jones, Kenerine Fraser (Chris), Imani Jones, Kimberly Wells, Michelle

Nuri (Karriem) and Sherry_Haynes, four nephews, Gilbert Francis, Jo-

seph Wells Jr., Elliot Campbell (Elois_e) and Johnnie Wells and a host of

grand nieces, grand nephews, and cousins. The Hunter Family, her

Godsons, _Kevin Beckles, Joseph Wells Jr., her spiritual children, Rev.

Dr. Bobby Moore, First" Lady Janice Moore, Steph~e Walker, April

Hunter, Donna Hunter, Kimberly Smith, David and Linda Sanchez,

Brend:~n and LaShe~e Benjamin, LaShelle Bovian, Phyllis Taylor, Ron

Milliner, and a host of others too numerous to mention. She also leaves behind her lifelong and dearest friends Rev. Charles & Lyrui Carte~,

faustina Roberts and longtime friends Georgia Young and Matilda

Beckles, her Astoria Baptist Church family and a host of other friends

and acquaintances.

.

God said "Enter my .child and take yo~ rest you have finished the race



and stood the test



Sleep on dear Mildred you've earned the rest

We truly love you, but God loves you best.

-Done In Sorrow- THE FAMILY

W1tb AllJt!y Love

Being married to you has been the best thing that's ever happened to me. You've been my partner, my lover, and my dearest friend. Knowing I have your love let'fme face life's challenges, secure in the knowledge that I have some.one special, who thinks about me, supports me, and cares for me more deeply, than anyone else... I'm so thankful to be sharing life with you. I need you and love you with all my heart.

Low jon111r, Char/it

The memory of her last days will remain and leave an indelible imprint on the mind of those who had the opportu-
nity to observe her Christian faith at its highest level.

With valor and courage she ~xhibited unbelievable spiritual

strength as she moved towards the valley of the shadow of

death.

.

She smiled when so many would have been in tears. She fought with courage when others would have quietly surrendered. She prayed and gave thanks when others would have complained and asked why. She offered encouragement when others would have craved these for themselves.

Her unselfish life has shown that those who stand with God, those who are loyal to truth, those who stand fmn in Christian faith to the end have nothing to lose, only heaven
to gain.

I needed the quiet so He drew me aside, into the shadow s

where we could co~fide. Away (rom the busde where all

day long I hurried and worried when active and strong. I

needed the quiet, though at first I rebelled but gently, so

gendy, my cross He upheld and whispered so sweedy of

spiritual things. Though weakened in body, my spirit took

wings. To h~jghts never dteamed of.when active and gay

He dtew me away. I needed the quiet. No prison my bed,

but a beautiful valley of blessings instead . A place to grow

~cher in Jesus to hide. I needed the quiet, so He drew me



aside.