RIP
John Francis
W.Bro. John Francis
19th January 1931 - 28th January 2014
Member of Spithead Lodge 6719
Capt (Ret'd) MBE Royal Signals
G3LWI
Excellent and Perfect Brother (Rose Croix) John Douglas Forsyth Francis M.B.E.
John died from respiratory failure on Tuesday, 28 January, aged 83 at his home in Bembridge after a prolonged illness.
He was initiated into Freemasonry at the Lord kitcheners Lodge 3402 on 25 May 1970, in Cyprus.
He moved to the Island in the early 80s. In January1995, I think it was, he was brought here to Spithead lodge, as a visitor, by the late Trevor Love. As a new steward of the Lodge I (John Edgerton) had the pleasure of greeting him at the door and also of sitting with him at the festive board. He became a joining member at Spithead in May 1996 as I had done the previous year. Spithead gave us both a return to Freemasonry after many years absence. We threw ourselves into LOI, progressed and built up a close friendship as we went along. I had the honour of installing him into the chair of King Solomon in 2003.
It was with much pleasure that I knew him. We had a lot in common but his Masonic activities were the more varied. He loved his Masonry and was a member of 4 craft lodges, Mark, Royal Ark Mariner, Royal Arch Chapter and this small but precious St Boniface Chapter; where he was proposed by Ill Bro. Robert Gordon, seconded by me and perfected on 23 November, 2001.
His funeral on 10 February, at the Isle of Wight Crematorium, was attended by a large congregation, drawn from his many friends and those who knew him both in and out of Masonry . Many had to stand or fill the overflow area. The simple moving service ended with the fulsome singing of the Closing Ode. The words were printed on the service sheet and it sounded as though everyone had joined in.