Francis E. Lanciaux

Mr. Francis E. Lanciaux, age 93, passed away on Tuesday morning, December 12, 2017.  Francis was born March 25, 1924 in Fremont, Michigan to Joseph and Emma (Schmitt) Lanciaux.  He and his sisters Lucille and Lorraine grew up on the family homestead on 74th Street.  Francis was awarded a purple heart for his service in Korea.  He married Mary Mitchell on February 20, 1954 and they celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary this past February.  While raising eight children on the Farm, Francis and Mary never ceased having an open door.  There was always an extra place at the lively table.  As Lanciaux family patriarch and keeper of the Centennial Lanciaux Farm, Francis welcomed company and joyfully greeted the various carloads of kinfolk and friends who would stop by on Sunday afternoons. 

 Uncle Francis was known to squirt milk directly from Bossy the Cow into the mouth of eager children who gathered in the barn to watch him milk.  He is probably most fondly remembered for the annual corn roast he and Mary hosted each August.  Francis was employed at Teledyne Continental in Muskegon.  During vacations from Teledyne, Francis and Mary would take the entire family on camping vacations, sometimes to visit kinfolk or friends and others to see our beautiful country.  How they could consider being in the car with all those kids to be a “vacation” is something we ponder to this day.  After he retired in 1986, Francis and Mary perfected the art of the road trip visiting friends and kin on their way to their snow bird home in Arizona.  He has passed on his love for the road trip to his children.  We have so many fond memories of our father, he is vividly alive in our hearts.

Francis is survived by his wife Mary (Mitchell) of 63 years, eight children; Marie (John) McMahan of Edmond, OK, Joe (Debora) Lanciaux of Houston, TX, Francis (Laurie) Lanciaux of Grand Rapids, OH, Bernadette (John Fitzsimmons) Lanciaux of Pittsford, NY, Colette (Dennis) Kufahl of Montague, MI, Jim (Deb) Lanciaux of Fremont, MI, JoAnn Wegert of Elmore, OH, Cheryl (Kevin) Timmons of Leander, TX, a sister, Lorraine Anderson of Rosemount, MN, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Francis was preceded in death by his sister, Lucille Collins.

THE MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL will be 12:00 PM Friday, December 15, 2017 at St. Michael Church of Brunswick (6382 S Maple Island Rd, Fremont, MI 49412) with Rev. Peter Schafer as presider.  VISITATION will be Thursday from 5-7 PM at The Kroeze Wolffis Chapel, 637 E. Main Street, Fremont, MI 49412, and from 11-12 on Friday at the church.  Burial will be in St. Michael Cemetery in Brunswick, MI. In lieu of flowers, MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS may be made to St. Michael Church of Brunswick. Share memories with the family at their on-line guestbook at www.kroeze-wolffis.com

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