Obituary: Francis, James Noel
Age 75
FRANCIS, James Noel
Jim Frances passed away in the early morning of September 26, 2012 at his home in the Newport, Washington area.
Cause of death was lung cancer.
Jim was born April 29, 1937 at Whitehall, Madison County, Montana to Donald and Clara (Sausman) Francis.
From age five, he spent his summers on the horse ranch owned by his Uncle Fred Shoemaker in the Larb Hills of the Missouri River Breaks south of Malta, MT.
He learned to ride, train and care for horses at an early age.
He joined the Navy at the age of 15, often serving on submarines and was discharged in 1955.
As a young man, he rode bareback and clowned in rodeos all over Montana and in Canada winning several awards.
He retired from Ironwork that included work on the Alaska Pipeline.
After retirement, he spent his summers in Newport, WA and his winters in Arizona with other cowboys and his horses practicing and competing calf-roping.
He is survived by two sons: Donald Jerome Francis and Terrence James Francis; one sister: Ruby Alice Hornbeck; one brother: Michael Joseph Francis.
He has three grandchildren, and one great-grandson.
He was preceded in death by his wife Barbara (Johnson) Francis, 1983; one daughter Tammy Jo Francis and one son Jesse Allen Francis.
A Memorial Service will be held at the Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home, 423 W. 2nd Street, Newport, WA on Friday, October 5th, at 2:00 pm.
Jim’s body will be cremated and his ashes scattered in the Larb Hills of Phillips County, Montana.
at his request.