Eugene John Francois

Eugene J. Francois, 85, of Barnum passed away Saturday July 19, 2014, at Trinity Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday July 23rd at 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel of the Laufersweiler-Sievers Funeral Home and 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church with Msgr. Kevin McCoy officiating the Mass of Christian Burial. Burial will follow in Corpus Christi Cemetery with Military Rites conducted by the V.F.W. Post 1856 and the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard. A visitation will be on Tuesday, July 22nd, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a Vigil at 7:00 p.m. all at the funeral home. Eugene is survived by his daughters, JoAnn (George) McConeghy of Adel; Julie Francois of Columbia MO; Jenifer (Bill) Hartz of Columbia MO; Jane (David) Guthrie of Columbia MO; Jean Marie (Mike) McFarland of Clare; son, James (Sue) Francois of Barnum; grandchildren; Jessica Guthrie, Max Hartz, Maria Francois, Lucy Guthrie, Meghan Hartz, Alison McFarland, and Emma Francois; and his brother, Francis B. Francois of Chicago, IL. Eugene is preceded in death by his parents, Rudolph and Irene (McDonough) Francois; and his wife, Alice. Eugene John Francois was born July 9, 1929 in Barnum. He attended schools there and graduated from Johnson Township Consolidated High School in Barnum in 1948. Gene enlisted with the Air National Guard, which was nationalized in 1953. He was stationed at Erding Air Force Base near Munich, Germany. Upon his honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force he returned to the family farm in Barnum. On June 16, 1956 he was united in marriage to Alice Clarine Mallinger and the couple made their home in Barnum. Gene drove a school bus for 3 years and farmed in the Clare and Barnum areas for 50 years. He served as elected school board member in the mid 1980's Board of Education Northwest Webster schools and aslo served as chairman of a committee that supervised construction and early operation of a group of retirement homes in Barnum. Gene was an excellent carpenter helping build many new homes and worked at Lynch Construction building bins and elevators for many years. Gene volunteered and helped establish the Barnum Fire Department and Barnum Community Park. He was a lifelong Catholic and enjoyed NASCAR and traveling. Gene will be missed but never forgotten. Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family. Visitation Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Laufersweiler-Sievers Funeral Home 307 South 12th Street Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 Vigil 7:00 PM Service Wed, Jul 23, 2014 at 10:30 am Sacred Heart Church 211 S 13th St Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501