BLOOMINGTON - Francis Henry Irvin, 87, of Bloomington, died at 11:06 a.m. Tuesday (Aug. 5, 2008) at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington.

His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday (Aug. 14, 2008) at the Unitarian Church, Bloomington, with the Rev. Dr. Ruth and the Rev. Dr. Bill Gnagey officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Bloomington. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Carmody-Flynn Williamsburg Funeral Home, Bloomington.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Church, Bloomington.

Francis was born Sept. 22, 1920, in Zeigler, the son of Frank and Matilda J. Gustafson Irvin.

He is survived by five nieces and nephews, Bill O'Connor, Tim (Cindy) O'Connor, Colleen (Mike) Blackford, Cathy (Craig) Clark and Mary Jane (Brian) Wojtkiewicz, all of California; Angelo Gordon, Estes Park, Colo., who was like a beloved son of Francis; several great-nieces and nephews and many local family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Jane O'Connor.

Francis received a bachelor's degree in education from ISNU in 1942. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force Medical Corps from 1942 to 1946 and received his master's degree from the Teachers College at Columbia University in 1947 where he wrote his thesis on gangs in the lower east side of Manhattan. Francis taught elementary education at Heyworth Elementary School for over 30 years.

Francis received numerous awards over the years including the Martin Luther King Award in 1980, Illinois Community Action Association's Volunteer of the Year in 1996, Cultural Festival Service Award in 1995, Midwest Region Boys and Girls Club Service Award in 1994, Baha'i Light of Unity Award in 1993 and the McLean County Democratic Party's Franklin D. Roosevelt Award in 2004, given for outstanding lifetime service.

Francis was also involved in many community activities and had many memberships, including the McLean County Economic Opportunity Corp. (War On Poverty) and served as president in 1968 and 1975; member from 1969 to 1973 and active in the expansion of Head Start; member of the original board of directors of John M. Scott Health Center and president from 1983 to 1985; member of the ACLU from 1986 to 1995 and was secretary for eight years of the Steering Committee of the Central Illinois chapter.

He helped organize McLean County Jail Review Committee in 1981 and served as president from 1991 to 1994. In 1953, he helped organize the McLean County Reading Council for teachers of reading and served two terms as president. He was a member of the McLean County Retired Teachers Association since 1986 and served as president from 1990 to 1991.

He was a member of the board of directors of Friends of the Bloomington Public Library from 1986 to present; member of the board of directors of Boys and Girls Club and chairman of its Program Committee from 1992 to present; Lange's Alley Neighborhood Association president in 1997; member of the Coalition for Diversity and Reconciliation; member of Minority Advocacy Council; founding member of Bloomington-Normal Black History Project; president of the McLean County Action Council from 1987 to 1992; and founding member and active member of the Community for Social Action from 1969 to present.

Francis was a member of the board of directors for Operation Recycle from 1982 to 1994 and president from 1988 to 1990; Campaign for Better Health; Amnesty International; Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty; The Nature Conservancy; NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) from 1981 to present; ParkLands Foundation; charter member of The Stevenson Society; Planned Parenthood Federation of America and a supporter of public radio including WGLT.

Francis was a precious family member, phenomenal educator and dedicated activist for social causes including liveable wages, literacy in prisons and native habitat restoration. He was passionate about his beliefs which were forged through an array of circumstances including the Great Depression. However passionate, he was non- threatening. He gained the trust of all who interacted with him because of his incomparable levels of integrity.

Francis' well-known sidekick Kleeper, the little stuffed pink chimpanzee, in partnership with him enchanted and engaged countless students and others of all ages and interests.

Francis was a gift to all who knew him and will be deeply missed