Virginia Francis

Virginia Jocelyn Francis, beloved daughter of Zelie Platoff of Martinique and Sydney Felix of Venezuela, was born on January 7, 1941, in Port of Spain, Trinidad West Indies and passed away peacefully in Orlando, Florida on October 3, 2024, leaving a void her family cannot fill. 

She attended Success Roman Catholic school in Trinidad. Thereafter, she assisted her father in one of his businesses where, at an early age, she acquired knowledge of finance and business. As a young girl, Virginia was active in the church and the Red Cross and played competitive netball for her school. She was an avid reader all her life but switched from novels to word search and puzzles much later in life. 

"You have to keep your brain active," she would say. 

She married Desmond Hernandez on August 2, 1958, in Trinidad. On April 26, 1976, she married Felix Francis in New York. 

Jocelyn was the proud mother of five children: 

Anthony P. Hernandez 

Patricia A. Hernandez 

Jacqueline C. Hernandez- Taylor 

Arnim M. Hernandez 

Annette M. Ault 

She migrated to the United States in 1966 at the early age of 26. Her love of finance and business led her to study Business Administration and ultimately to an almost 20-year career at the firm now known as Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co., as an Executive Secretary. 

In 1986, Virginia moved from Brooklyn, New York to Florida where she resided until her passing. Being a math whiz, coupled with her interest in finance and business, she took an interest in real estate and was quite successful in her endeavors. 

She loved to travel. She traveled the world, touching every continent, but her favorite place to visit was Hawaii for its beaches. She described her trip to Russia as a unique experience that she felt privileged to have had the opportunity to visit and wrote that her favorite hotel in her travels was the Sheraton Casablanca Hotel & Towers in Casablanca, Morocco.

Virginia was also the family historian and photographer. She memorialized every event: every birthday every graduation, every holiday celebration, in essence every occasion that she was a part of. She would snap away, and after the event, share the photos or, indeed, complete albums with everyone to enjoy. She made Family History albums for her children and other family members. She would also make framed collages of special photos that she took and give them to her children and perhaps others for keepsakes. 

Virginia also enjoyed sewing, often making outfits for herself and for all her children, over the years. Her children have some very special memories of their "outfits" that were hand or machine sewn by mom. Don't get me wrong, we appreciated the love behind the outfits. Enough said! She also, over the years, enjoyed cake decorating, and attending plays and fashion shows. 

She did not believe in family reunions because she believed family should get together as often as possible because as she often said, "family is love". Virginia knew how to throw a good party and she threw a lot of parties. There was always good food, plenty drinks flowing and, of course, music. She was the first one on the dance floor doing what her children lovingly termed "the mom dance". She celebrated every birthday and every holiday and loved hosting her family and friends.

Virginia was the ultimate fashionista. She had every color shoe and every color pocketbook to match her very well coordinated outfits. She wrote in a Mother's Legacy Journal, "I never followed fads. I always wore expensive (not flashy) but classy clothes that made a statement." 

She loved flowers, roses in particular. She often purchased them for herself. She said their smell gave her the feeling of tranquility and love. She also loved receiving flowers. Whenever she received flowers from any of her children or grandchildren, she would call, and upon them answering, she would go into several verses belting out Stevie Wonder's I just called to say I love you; I just called to say how much I care. If you happened to miss the call, you would be in for a treat with a recorded version. Priceless! 

She always shared with her children, especially the girls, that her father taught her to be independent and self-sufficient. She expected nothing less from herself than excellence, and she lived her life just that way. 

Virginia was the most generous mom, grandmother, sister, and friend that anyone could ever ask for. She was always mailing packages to everyone. For birthdays, Christmas, or for no reason or occasion at all, you could expect a package from her whether you lived across the street or across the oceans. She described herself as "a giving person". Every single person with whom the family has spoken, recalled her generosity. 

Not too long ago she wrote: "I just love life and considered myself blessed all my life." When asked what the most wonderful gift would be that she could receive, she wrote, "I did all that I wanted to do in life: traveled the world, ate well, lived well, dressed well and I loved it all." What more can we add to those pronouncements? 

Her legacy lives on in the values she instilled in her children and grandchildren and the many lives that she touched. 

We will miss you Mom. We love you and will carry your love within us always. 

Virginia was predeceased in death by both of her parents; her husband Felix Francis; her younger sister Judy Jones; and her younger brother Kenwyn Perry. She leaves to cherish her memories, five children, Anthony, Patricia, Jacqueline, Arnim and Annette; sixteen grandchildren, Anthony Jr., Adrian, Andre, Roger, Anthony, Anecia, Cecil, Allister, Aalan, Dwayne, Alyssa, Shamarah, Jerell, Lancelot, Jr., Aaron and Amare; two sons-in-law, Lancelot, Sr. and Pastor William O. Taylor; one sister, Veronica; three brothers, Milton, Cecil and Irwin; one sister-in-law, Aurora Perry; and many nephews, nieces, and dear friends.