Lucille Marie Francis Hearne

Lucille Marie Francis Hearne was born on April 14, 1931 in Houston, Texas. She was the youngest daughter of Cornelius and Cleopatra Francis. She was predeceased by her brothers Oscar Francis and Oliver Francis and her sisters Dorothea Francis and Louise Young. Lucille, who was affectionately known throughout her life as “Lucy,” migrated to San Francisco, California during World War II at the age of 12 years old. She attended the prestigious Girls High School in San Francisco and college at San Francisco City College and San Francisco State University majoring in Sociology. She married Byrl Hearne, a Navy WWII Veteran, in 1947 and they had two children, Maxine Sharon Hearne, who predeceased her in 2012, and Byrle Denise Hearne Blassingame. Her loving husband Byrl predeceased her in 2010.

Lucy spent 42 years as a civil servant with the Federal Government. She worked for several agencies and ended her civil service career serving as an Equal Employment Opportunity Manager with the United States Department of Labor’s Region IX office. She served her community in leadership roles in the National Council of Negro Women, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Top Ladies of Distinction, Bethel A.M.E. Church’s Women’s Missionary Society, Fellowship Manor Senior Housing, among other community endeavors. Due to her active roles in the community, she was the recipient of numerous medals, awards, and honors.

Lucy loved people and people loved her. She was known for her smile, her positive outlook on life’s challenges, and her religious faith. She was always smiling, especially when talking about her passions, which included cooking, travelling, reading, floral arrangements, and politics. Lucy leaves to cherish her memory her daughter Denise; son-in-law T’Rhosia Blassingame, Jr.; granddaughters Chantel, Sabrina, Margaux, Hope, and Sarai; grandsons, John L, Wendell, and Nicoli; and a host of other relatives and beloved friends.

Lucy’s funeral service will be held at Bethel A.M.E. Church in San Francisco, California on Thursday, April 6, 2017, at 11:00 A.M. A private burial is scheduled for April 10, 2017 at the Veterans’ Cemetery in Dixon, California. Due to Lucy’s commitment to public service and public education, the family requests that in lieu of flowers that monetary donations be made to the Bethel A.M.E. Scholarship Fund in the name of Ms. Lucille Marie Hearne to recognize high achieving students who are planning to attend California four year colleges and universities.