Coach Jim Francis with
wife Peggy
"October 2008: Thought you all might like to see Coach Jim Francis and his wife Peggy; they live in Delaware Springs, a golfing community in Texas Hill Country just outside Burnett, and to say they are active is the ultimate understatement -- I had to fit in the visit and picture-taking between their trips, they'd just returned from Myrtle Beach where Coach Jim played in the World Amateur Handicap (for non-golfers, this is a golf term, not a medical one..) golf tournament with Peggy's son, and they were getting ready to go to California for Peggy to play in a national hardcourt tennis tournament (she and her partner were ranked #2 in the nation in 'Age 70s and over' and now that Peggy's 75, she'll be playing in '75's and over', aiming for #1 of course). Coach Jim and Peggy also play golf and tennis in the Senior Olympics. Incidentally, Peggy's had both knees replaced!
I invited them to the reunion (Class of 1958, held recently) but as one might guess, they were already committed to a busy fall schedule.
Coach Francis was admired by all when we were in high school and he is a prince of a guy to this day, 82 years young and still having a ball.
Sharon Street Meece, AHS 1958
P.S. Peggy was formerly wife of Coach John Burkhead – wasn't he the one who called the guys mullets? Coach Francis’ wife Rueline died in 1991 and Coach Burkhead passed away soon after; the two couples had been great friends and eventually Peggy and Coach Jim's camaraderie grew into love and marriage. "
[Sharon sent the above to Gary Wofford, Class of '58 and Gary sent it to his brother, '56er Miles Wofford, who sent it to this website knowing that many of us will be interested to hear and see that Coach Francis is doing great. ]