Francelia M. “Celia” Francis of Essex, 82, died May 23. We picture her in a better place where she is reading the multitudes of books she hadn’t had time for. She is surrounded by flowers of great beauty, which she tends happily. At her side is Ceilidh, her devoted Westie, who has been awaiting her arrival. The vacuum her absence has created will never be filled. We are all left with a hole in our souls which she had filled.

Celia was born on Jan. 13, 1942, in Worcester, Massachusetts, to Robert C. and Laura Lukens McKee. She attended Smith College, graduating in 1962. Celia married James D. Francis on Aug. 14, 1965. After the births of Chris and Sarah, the family relocated to Essex in 1970.

Celia dove into the First Congregational Church in Essex, acting as Deacon and Sunday School teacher. She soon had connections with the preschool and became a presence at the Essex Historical Society. She volunteered with Child and Family and served for a number of years on the Essex School Board. She joined the Smith Club of Southeastern Connecticut and, while feeding her mind by associating with other “Smithies,” fed everyone we knew with “Smith Pecans” every year. Celia joined Capella Cantorum and sang with them for nearly 50 years. She enjoyed being one of the “rowdy” altos and the many trips the chorus took to Europe — England, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Holland, Russia, and more. She loved to travel. After retiring from her insurance job, Celia and Jim traveled and sailed and enjoyed grandchildren and friends. Celia filled her time with reading, sunning at Mile Creek Beach Club with friends or a book, learning Italian, running a book club, helping out at church, seeing operas at The Kate, going to Madison to RJ Julia to talk books (and buy books, and buy books), and working on the Backpack Program to provide food for kids in need to survive weekends.

Celia is survived by her husband, James D. Francis; son, D. Christopher Francis of Peabody, Massachusetts; daughter Sarah F. Holmes, and son-in-law Roger W. Holmes of Norfolk, Massachusetts; and grandchildren, Nathaniel Holmes, Emily Holmes, Charlotte Holmes, and Tessa Francis.

Celia’s life will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 14 at the First Congregational Church in Essex, 6 Methodist Hill. She will be laid to rest at Riverview Cemetery in Essex, in a private service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Celia’s name to Planned Parenthood. Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home in Centerbrook is in care of the arrangements. To share a memory of Celia or send a condolence to her family, please visit www.rwwfh.com.