Francis May Young

FRANCIS MAY YOUNG

                                                September 7, 1924 – October 21. 2021

                                                                Resident of Alamo, ca

FRANCES WAS BORN IN SHAMBAUGH, IOWA.  HER PARENTS, RHODA AND VERNON HAMMER, OWNED A SMALL FARM AND PROVIDED FOR THEIR FAMILY DURING THE DEPRESSION.  FRAN HAD FOUR SIBLINGS: DALE, HAZEL, PHYLLIS, AND JANE.  WHEN HER MOTHER BECAME ILL, FRAN CARED FOR HER SIBLINGS.

FRAN ATTENDED HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH ELEVENTH GRADE IN IOWA BEFORE THE FAMILY MOVED TO BERKELEY IN THE SUMMER OF 1941.  SHE PARTICIPATED IN SCHOOL SPORTS INCLUDING BOTH BASEBALL AND BASKETBALL.  FRAN FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL AT BERKELEY HIGH AND GOT A JOB AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IN THE REGISTRAR’S OFFICE WHERE SHE WORKED FOR FIVE YEARS.

IN AUGUST OF 1944, FRAN MARRIED DUANE (DEKE) YOUNG, WHO SHE HAD MET PREVIOUSLY WHILE LIVING IN IOWA.  HE CAME TO SEE HER PLAY BASEBALL, SHE FOUND HIM “PRETTY GOOD-LOOKING, AND DECIDED TO TAKE A SECOND PEEK” WHICH LED TO THEIR COURTSHIP.  DEKE WAS IN THE NAVY DURING WWII AND STILL HAD 14 MONTHS TO COMPLETE HIS TOUR OF DUTY.  HE WAS DISCHARGED IN DECEMBER 1945.  THEY BOUGHT A HOUSE IN 1946 IN EAST OAKLAND AND THEIR FIRST CHILD, DENNIS WAS BORN IN AUGUST.  IN SEPTEMBER THEY STARTED THEIR OWN SEWER CONTRACTING BUSINESS. IN JUNE 1947 THEY BOUGHT PROPERTY IN WALNUT CREEK, BUILT A HOME AND MOVED IN FEBRUARY 1948.  THEIR SECOND CHILD, CARMEN WAS BORN IN JUNE 1948. FRAN WAS A FULL PARTNER IN THE BUSINESS AS WELL AS CARING FOR HER CHILDREN AND MANAGING THE HOUSEHOLD. 

THE BUSINESS WAS SUCCESSFUL AND AFTER TWENTY YEARS OF HARD WORK AND MANY SACRIFICES, THEY DECIDED TO SELL IN 1965.  THEY BOUGHT PROPERTY AT ROUNDHILL COUNTRY CLUB, HAD A HOME BUILT AND MOVED IN FEBRUARY 1966.  THEY WERE ENTRENPRENURIAL PARTNERS IN EVERYTHING.  FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, THEY BOUGHT AND SOLD REAL ESTATE.

THEY WERE CHARTER MEMBERS AT ROUND HILL COUNTRY CLUB AND LOVED TO PLAY GOLF.  FRAN WAS CAPTAIN OF THE 18-HOLE LADIES’ GROUP AND PLAYED IN 50 CONSECUTIVE MEMBER-GUEST TOURNAMENTS.  THEY TRAVELLED TO HAWAII, SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND TO PLAY GOLF WITH THE CLUB.  THEY HAD MANY FRIENDS AT THE CLUB AND SURROUNDING AREA AND MULTIPLE YEARS OF SOCIALIZING AND FRIENDSHIP.   

THEY WERE BIG FANS OF BAY AREA SPORTS TEAMS AND HAD SEASON TICKETS TO 49ERS AND RAIDERS GAMES.  THEY WERE ALSO FANS OF THE GIANTS AND WARRIORS.  THEY LOVED TO TRAVEL AND ENJOYED TRIPS TO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, KENYA, HONG KONG AND FRANCE. 

MOST OF ALL, SHE LOVED HER FAMILY AND GATHERING THEM TOGETHER IN THEIR ROUNDHILL HOME FOR LARGE, FESTIVE PARTIES, BARBEQUES, BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES AND HOLIDAYS.  THEY TOOK IMMEDIATE FAMILY TO HAWAII AND MEXICO ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS.

AFTER FRAN LOST DEKE IN 2015, SHE CONTINUED AS THE FAMILY MATRIARCH FOR NEARLY SEVEN YEARS. AS FRAN GOT OLDER AND NEEDED ASSISTANCE, SHE HAD CAREGIVERS WHO HELPED HER STAY SAFE AND CONTENT AT HOME.  SHE DEVELOPED WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM.  FAMILY VISITS CONTINUED REGULARLY, AS ALWAYS.  FRAN LIVED FOR THE JOY OF BEING WITH HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

AFTER A SHORT STAY IN THE HOSPITAL DUE TO PNEUMONIA, FRAN RETURNED HOME TO THE LOVING ARMS OF HER FAMILY.  DURING HER FINAL DAYS SHE WAS COMFORTED BY FAMILIAR FACES AND THE SHARING OF FAMILY STORIES AROUND HER BEDSIDE. SHE TOLD IMMEDIATE FAMILY AT THIS TIME THAT SHE “HAD LIVED A WONDERFUL LIFE, HAD NO REGRETS OR ANY BUCKET LIST.”  ON OCTOBER 21, 2021, FRAN PASSED PEACEFULLY IN HER SLEEP.

FRAN IS SURVIVED BY HER SON, DENNIS (JAN), AND DAUGHTER, CARMEN (JOHN); GRANDCHILDREN DEAN (BRANDI), DANIEL, KATIE (STEPHANE); GREAT GRANDCHILDREN DANI, EMMA, MARLO, SPENCER, EVA-ROSE, PARKER; SISTERS PHYLLIS AND JANE.  FRAN WAS PREDECEASED BY HER SISTER, HAZEL AND BROTHER, DALE.

PER FRANS REQUEST, A PRIVATE FAMILY SERVICE AND INTERNMENT WAS HELD AT OAKMONT MEMORIAL PARK.  IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, DONATIONS CAN BE MADE TO YOUR CHARITY OF CHOICE.

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