Audra Francis
1896 - 1986
In February of 1973, Saginaw celebrated a special event with a series of ceremonies, a giant billboard reading “We Love You Audra” and a testimonial dinner attended by 800.
It was Audra Francis Recognition Day, a time to celebrate the life and work of an amazing woman. Her story is exemplified by the mission statement of her beloved Zonta International whose members are pledged to “…improve the legal, political, economic and professional status of women.” The statement only has to be changed to read “…of all people.”
Audra Decker was born June 1, 1896, in Barry County, Michigan, and grew up on the family farm. She graduated from Lake Odessa High School, got her teacher’s certificate from Western State Normal College and taught for five years in the Barry County schools before marrying engineer George Francis. They had two children, George Jr. and Donna Jeanne (Mrs. George) Cappell. As a person, she was described as “an attractive woman of immaculate dress and appearance. She had a radiant disposition, marked by her kindness and consideration for others.”
Audra and George came to Saginaw in September of 1921 and checked into the Bancroft Hotel until they could find a house to rent. Audra never forgot the sign in their hotel room, “Don’t drink the water from the tap.” At the time, Saginaw city water was unsafe and even after the Water Works was built in 1929, tap water was so heavily laced with chemicals, it was undrinkable.
In her early years, Audra’s interests centered around her home and family. She served as president of the Herig and South Intermediate PTAs, president of the City Council of PTAs, and as Girl Scout Commissioner 1932-37. She was a longtime member of the Jefferson Avenue Methodist Church, a life member of the Women’s Society of Christian Service and a member of Martha Washington Chapter OES.
One of her interests was making famous women come alive. She did it in the first person, using their own words, augmented with accurate costumes and makeup. Among the women she portrayed were Mary Lincoln, Grandma Moses and hat designer Lilly Dache. She was a longtime collector of antiques and Superintendent of Antiques at the Saginaw Fair. She joined Saginaw’s Zonta Club in 1941. She was elected president of the club in 1947 and in 1950, was named governor of Zonta District V and a member of the Zonta International Board of Directors. From 1958-60, she served as president of Zonta International and visited clubs in 48 states, all the Canadian provinces, twelve European countries and Guatemala. She met leaders of several countries including Finland’s Helvi Sipila who became assistant Secretary General of the United Nations.
Mrs. Francis was elected to the Saginaw City Council—its first woman member—in 1953 and served on the council for 12 years. As chairman of City Recreation, she made such an impact that the Audra E. Francis Recreation Center was named in her honor.
She was also on the board of directors of the Saginaw County Hospital and the Saginaw Hall of Fame. She was the only woman founder of the Hall of Fame.
In the early 1960s, she became president of the Saginaw YWCA and faced the challenge of raising money to replace the sadly decrepit old YWCA. The building had been in need of replacement for decades but new construction had been delayed by World War II and the needs of other organizations. Audra took over and the money was raised for a handsome new building.
In January of 1972, at the age of 79, Audra Francis was elected chairman of the Saginaw County Commission. Again, she was the first woman to hold that post. The Saginaw News commented, “Among all prospective candidates, she was deemed best-suited by a majority of Republicans and Democrats to lead county government out of the old thickets into a new era, as the one commission member who could, through persuasion, bring the divergent forces more into harmony and put an end to cronyism at the courthouse.”
Honors came to Audra Francis: she won the Arnold Boutell Award, the WSAM-WSAM-FM Award, the Michigan Academy of Volunteer Leadership Award, the Boy Scout General Community Service Award, the Greater Saginaw Chamber of Commerce Community Service Recognition Award and the United Fund’s Honorary Community Service Award.
George Francis, her staunchest political supporter, died June 21, 1974. Audra Francis died December 6, 1986 at the age of 90.
In a questionnaire for the Saginaw News, she once concluded, “…my greatest hobby is making friends by being one.”