Edwin A. Francis

Francis, Edwin A., 93, retired CPA, died Thursday, July 7, 2005 in his home at Chaucer Estates. Memorial service 11:00 A.M., Monday, Downing Lahey Mortuary East. Edwin was born June 22, 1912 in a log cabin in Beaver County, OK. He completed grades 2 ~ 12 in Wichita. Edwin graduated from the University of Wichita in 1936, receiving a B.A. from the College of Business Administration and Industry. He spent his college days working three jobs in order to pay his expenses. He met his wife, Mary Helen Whitlock at the rotunda of the administration building in the fall of 1935. They were married in that same year at St. Marys Cathedral. Edwin began a career as a public accountant soon afterward. He received his CPA in 1940 from the University of Kansas. He was called into active duty in the Army in 1941. He spent the war years auditing Army and Air Force Post Exchanges. Edwin received a citation for the Army Commendation Ribbon for his contribution to the success of the Army Exchange Program within the Service Command. He left the service in 1946 as a Major and moved to Chicago, where he took additional courses at Northwestern University. He worked for several accounting firms in Chicago, Wichita and Kansas City before starting his own firm in Wichita in 1954. Although Edwin retired in 1982, he continued to do work for a few clients. Edwin was honored for his 40 year membership by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He was a member of the East Wichita Rotary Club, receiving an award for his distinguished service as a member of the Board of Directors 1985-1987 and Treasurer 1984-1987. Edwin was a trustee for the Wichita Public Library Foundation and was on the Wichita Public Library Board of Directors. He received the Kansas Library Association Presidential Award for Meritorious Service in 2003. He was preceded in death by his wife Mary Helen Francis in 1995 and granddaughter, Holly E. Hoover in 2000. Survivors: son, Kelton S. Francis of Bronx, NY; daughter, Judy A. Hoover-Castleberry and husband Len of Little Rock, AR; grandson, Gregory Hoover and wife Carol of Wichita; one step-great-grandson.. A memorial has been established with the Wichita Public Library Foundation, Mary Helen Francis Memorial, 225 S. Main, Wichita, KS, 67202.