James "Jim" O. Francis

James "Jim" O. Francis, age 56, of Preston, Iowa, passed away on Friday, January 4, 2008 at his home. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, January 7, 2008 at the St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Preston, Iowa. Reverend Gregory Geier will officiate. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 6, 2008 at the Miller-Law-Jones Funeral Home in Preston, Iowa. A second funeral service will be held at 10:30am on Tuesday at the First United Methodist Church in Osage, Iowa, and interment will follow in the Osage City Cemetery in Osage. Memorials may be given to the St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jim's memory.
Jim was born on October 2, 1951 in Riceville, Iowa, the son of Gerald and Zella (Fritcher) Francis. Jim attended Osage High School graduating in 1971, and also later graduated from Lincoln Technical Institute in Des Moines, Iowa. Jim married Connie Arterberry on July 8, 1978 in Osage, Iowa, and later divorced.
Jim was employed by the Jackson County Secondary Road Commission for 23 years, and did mechanic work on the side. Jim was an avid motorcyclist and enjoyed attending tractor pulls.
Jim will be dearly missed by his family and friends. He is survived by one daughter, Corey Francis of Maquoketa, Iowa; one son, Fred Francis of Maquoketa; parents Gerald and Zella Francis of Osage; four brothers, Gary (Barbara) Francis of Osage, Herbert (Claire) Francis of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Kenneth (fiance Shea) Francis of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Robert Francis of Perry, South Dakota; one sister, Colleen (Mike) Counsell of Gainesville, Florida; one nephew and two nieces.
Jim was preceded in death by one brother David Francis.