Tom Francis - Thomas McKay Francis - Dad - passed away suddenly this afternoon. I was fortunate to have seen my parents twice this summer, the last time only a few weeks ago at 'camp'.
In return for all he gave us over the last 50+ years, I was able to fix his computer when needed, help him move a thing or two when visiting, fix a roof or build something, and give him some things to talk about with friends, but not much else. He was a rock, a very calm and collected rock, methodical, never rushed. He was thoughtful and generous, and he was a great dad who moved gracefully through life. I regularly think of the many skills, and the knowledge and care that I possess that is directly attributable to him... and the confidence to take anything apart and usually to fix it, sometimes within a few years, but often much quicker.
I'm not sure how he'd have felt about this post - he checked Facebook, but didn't participate, though he often knew what was going on because he paid attention. A Facebook post isn't special in any way, but one last thing I can do is to immortalize him here. He really deserves to be remembered and known.
He worked steadily his entire life. I don't know of any friend of his who would not readily agree about how generous he was. He helped when help was needed, he volunteered, showed up with tools and/or know-how - I remember when a kid being the last ones to leave most events because we had to help clean up. That's how he was. He hated to be seen laughing, but sometimes had to anyway, like in the first picture below. He was well spoken, but didn't like to speak. He gave the family a few words at this year's McKay Day Reunion with a goofy hat on. Maybe those words should have been 'Start your engines', but they were actually 'welcome to the McKay Day Reunion' as he passed the baton to me. He was the senior clan member of his maternal great-grandfather's descendants.
It's clear that I could go on and on, and I hope he knew that any one of us can go on and on about all he's given us.
So now he's immortal as befits a truly good and humble man.
