Thomas M. Francis
Marriages
Joan Daly Francis
Married 50 years.
Obituaries
Vail Daily page A9 - May 2, 2006
Thomas M. Francis, an Edwards resident, died April 22 at home on Maui with his family surrounding him. He was 78.
Francis was born in Denver on Feb. 20, 1928, to Kenneth L. Francis and Della Hoover Francis. He attended East High in Denver and then Mercersberg Academy in Pennsylvania.
He graduated from the University of Colorado and the Harvard Business School. He was an officer in the U.S. Navy before rescuing and building-up his father’s lighting equipment manufacturing business, Sechrist Manufacturing Co.
He then went on to his own business, Windsor Industries, where he spent the last 30 years of his career building a large, internationally known company making commercial floor cleaning equipment.
The last seven or eight years were spent living full-time in Edwards, after having been a part-time resident in Vail for the previous 25 years. More recently, Francis lived part time on Maui.
Francis was a member of the Denver Country Club and the Church of the Transfiguration in Vail.
Over his lifetime, he was an avid skier, hiker and tennis player. He has supported many community activities, mainly those involved with music, education and Christianity, family members say.
In his later years, he suffered from emphysema and several forms of cancer.
Francis is survived by his wife of 50 years, Joan Daly Francis; his children Lee Ashley Francis (Jan) of Charlotte, N.C., Thomas Sanford “Sandy” Francis (Carolyn) of Denver, and Deborah Francis Lemos (Gene) of Sacramento, Calif.; seven grandchildren; nieces Julie Francis Stretz (Jim) and Margot Francis Ladd (Jerry); and nephews Kenneth C. Francis (Laurie) of Seattle, Wash., and Robert R. Francis of Oregon.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests gifts may be made to one of the following: Trinity School for Ministry, Colorado Scholarship Fund, 311 Eleventh St., Ambridge, PA 15003; Eagle Valley Inter-Faith Chapel, Building Fund. c/o Transfiguration Episcopal Church, POB 1000, Vail, CO 81632; or Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, Endowment Fund, POB 2270, Vail, CO 81658
Services are scheduled 2 p.m., May 23 at the Vail Interfaith Chapel and 11 a.m. May 24 at Christ Episcopal Church Denver.
