Myrtle Francis

Myrtle Ilean Shepard Francis, age 91, formerly of Colony, passed away on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at Greystone Residential Care in Iola, Kansas. Myrtle was the sixth of nine children born to Madison Pail and Bessie (Offield) Shepard. She was born on November 2, 1926 in Mercer County, Missouri. The family lived in the Coffey/Anderson county area where Myrtle and her siblings attended school. She married Everett Elton Francis. To this union were born two daughters, Janila and Kloma. They moved to their home in Colony in 1955 where they stayed until moving to a residential home in Iola. Myrtle worked in the home babysitting many of the area children until her daughters were in high school. She then worked at the Kelly Café until the girls were through college. She and Elton raised a large garden and what they didn't preserve they shared with the family and the neighbors. Myrtle loved to embroider, and this led to quilting. She had a hand in the making of over 100 beautiful quilts over the years. She was a member of the Colony Christian Church and Fiddlers and Pickers in Iola. Myrtle was preceded in death by her husband, Elton, in 2013; her parents; and all but one of her siblings. She is survived by her daughters, Janila Preston and husband, Lewis of Uniontown, Kansas, and Kloma Buckle and husband, Richard of Colony, Kansas; grandchildren Teresa Preston Hall of Moran, Kansas, Melissa Buckle Hobbs and Sid of Colony, Kansas, and Tom Buckle and Sharon of Colony; eight great-grandsons, Sage Hall and Jessi, Brock Hall, Nate Berry, Gabe Berry, Brody Hobbs, Levi Ashmore and Torrie, Blake Ashmore, and Noah Ashmore; one great-great-grandson Ellis Ashmore; sister Norma Kester; sisters-in-law Lavern Botham and Olive Carpenter; and a large number of extended family and friends. Funeral services will be held at, 10:30 AM, Wednesday, March 7, 2018, at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 1883 US Hwy 54, Iola, Kansas. The family will greet friends from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM, prior to the service. Memorials are suggested to the Colony First Responders or to the Greystone Activity Fund and may be left in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com