Maria Gertrude Francis was born on August 11, 1927 in West Palm Beach, Florida to the proud parents of Nora Butler Neilly and Thaddeus Neilly deceased. At an early age she moved to Nassau, Bahamas where she received her education. It was in Nassau that she met and married the late Allan Nathaniel Francis. Five children were born from this union. While in Nassau, Maria was a faithful member of the Holy Spirit Anglican Church, singing in the choir and baking delicious cakes for the Sunday morning worship service. She also served with the Red Cross of The Bahamas. After relocating to the United States, Maria became a faithful member of the Jehovah's Witnesses. She joined congregations in New Jersey, Clemmons, and Mebane North Carolina. Maria had an indomitable spirit, she was a devoted, caring and loving mother to her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and her extended family. She travelled extensively in the United States, Europe, South America as well as the family islands of The Bahamas. She was a generous person, and gave of her time and resources to multiple organizations. Maria passed peacefully at the Alamance Regional Hospital in North Carolina, on Sunday, November 15, 2015, surrounded by her family. She was preceded in death by a son, Philip Francis, two brothers, Wilfred Neilly and Ervin Neilly, and a sister, Miriam Kelly. She is survived by three daughters: Angela Gibson Lorenzo of Freeport, Grand Bahama; Elaine Collie Raymond of Freeport, Grand Bahama; Denise Francis of Edison, New Jersey; and one son Dr. Rudolph Francis of Nashville, Tennessee. She is also survived by seven grandchildren: Kwasi Gibson, Laurel Gibson, Dr. Shani Alim Tarik, Omari Francis, Jamal Francis, Raynell Collie, and Andre Layne; two adopted grand children: Beatrice Hunter and James Hayden; three great-grandchildren: Aaron Smith-Alim, Nathaniel Smith-Alim, and Amina Alim; two adopted great grand-children: Abigail George and Alyssa Hunter; ten nieces: Marina Neilly, Tracy Erike John, Leslie Neilly, Tosha Neilly, Jean Neilly, Ethel Rolle, Faye Swaby Jeff, Patricia Mackey Freddie, Carmen Ingraham, and Vani Sturrup. Five nephews: Tellis Ingraham Doris, Nigel Ingraham Ann, Larry Ingraham Angela, Don Ingraham Michelle, and Harvey Ingraham. Cousins Leona Ford-Tooks and family, Maria Ward, Linda Hall and family, Ms. Patricia Gibson & family, the Collie, Francis, Heastie and Gomez families; one longtime family friend, Mrs. Olga Wilchombe and family of Freeport, Grand Bahama. She leaves a loving, loyal and devoted former daughter-in-law Mary Francis, former son-in-law Mr. Anderson Layne, and a host of other relatives and special friends who will greatly miss her. The funeral service will be held at 2:00pm Saturday, November 21, 2015 at The Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Mebane with burial to follow in the Chapel Hill Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8pm Friday evening at Lowe Funeral Home & Crematory and other times at Mary Francis' home in Mebane.
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