GREENVILLE – Carl Francis’ 95th birthday was on July 24, and it was celebrated this past Saturday at the Greenville Elks Lodge much to his surprise.
Yes, he was duped into coming to the Elks Lodge by his Brazilian son, Eddie Anjos, after they attended Mass at St. Mary’s Church.
How did Anjos pull this off?
“Well I told him I had to return Craig’s truck after church, and earlier on the week, I told him we were gonna have a drink at the Eks,” said Eddie, who indicated Carl did not have a clue what was happening.
Carl, who is also known as “Pops” to some and “Cookie” to others, entered the hall with Anjos and was met by an estimated 200-plus people, who sang “Happy Birthday” to him.
Then, the fun began.
Anjos, Francis’s Brazilian son, spoke to the crowd: “Good afternoon everyone. First and foremost, on behalf of the Francis family, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of you for joining us today to celebrate the 95th birthday of our beloved Pops. It is truly a special occasion, and we are honored to have each and every one of you here with us.”
Anjos went on to explain to those who may not know him that he had the privilege of being a part of the Francis family for the past 40 years.
“When I first arrived in Greenville from Brazil, the first people I had the pleasure of meeting were Marie Francis, my American mom, and Carl Francis, my American dad. They welcomed me into their family with open arms and treated me with the same love and care as their own children.”
Anjos went on to report that Carl is a father to eight children, although two of them have sadly passed away.
“In addition to his biological children, he also has a bonus Brazilian son, which is me,” Anjos told the crowd. “Together, Carl has been blessed with 20 grandchildren, one of whom is no longer with us, and four step-grandchildren. The family continues to grow, as Carl has an incredible 37 great-grandchildren and 11 step-great-grandchildren. And if that wasn’t impressive enough, he even has four step-great-great-grandchildren!”
And, most of them, if not all, were in attendance.
Anjos went on,”As we come together today to celebrate this milestone birthday, let us remember the love, strength and joy that Carl has brought to our lives. His legacy will continue to live on through each and every one of us, and we are grateful for the opportunity to honor him on this special day. Let’s make this a day filled with love, laughter, and cherished memories. Cheers to you, Pops!”
Anjos lit a candle at Carl’s table as part of the celebration. No, there were not 95 candles there; however, the two numerals, 9 and 5, were featured instead. His children stood in the background as Anjos lit the candles at Carl’s table.
Anjos has been with the Veterans Association for 24 years. He is associate director of the Gulf Coast Healthcare System and he works from Pensacola, Fla., responsible for the VA hospitals from Panama City, Fla., to Biloxi Miss., including Eglin, Fla., Pensacola, Fla., and Mobile, Ala.
Carl was a member of the U.S. Army and a Korean War veteran in the early 1950s. All seven of his brothers served in the military.
He came from a family of 11 born to the late Cyril and Marie (Monnier) Francis. He was married to the late Marie Barton, who died on Father’s Day 1995.
Carl’s children are Steve, Dale, Craig, Jason, Gary and Tina. Son Larry passed away in 2021.
This reporter had the opportunity to talk to several of the guests who chose to celebrate this special occasion with Carl, a hard-working, respected upstanding man.
Carl’s niece, Evelyn Smith, was there with Carl’s nephew, Ted Francis and his wife Kristie.
Lori Jones, Joe Dapore’s daughter and Carl’s goddaughter, was also in attendance.
Sheila Miller, a great-niece of Carl’s, commented, “My grandma was Carl’s sister-in-law.”
Also attending were Diane and Steve Stebbins. Steve knew Carl first and Diane became friends with him later.
Tom Stevenson, a local mechanic, said Carl would always help him when he had his own garage on Meeker Road. Stevenson brought with him his father and good friend, Michele Good, to the birthday party.
Terry and Marilyn Holmes came to Uncle Carl’s party. Her husband is Darke County’s Health Department Commissioner.
All seemed to have a great time. A meal was provided with music provided by Troy Kammer.
And, it was noted that Carl had a great time as well. He deserves it.
Click on the image below to see more photos from Carl’s celebration…
