Helen's Heart: Family and Community

Hello, my name is Jose Francia and this is for my mom, Helen Anna Lopez Francia. She passed away on December 16th, 2024. She was a feisty 86-year-old, mother of three sons: Jesus, Jose (Marine Veteran), and Johnny. She is also a grandmother of one, and his name is Jose D. Francia (Retired Air Force). She was a strong supporter of causes, functions, and charity events to enhance and enrich the lives of people in the deaf community.

She was born Helen Anna Lopez on March 5th, 1938. We believe she became deaf at an early age. She was surrounded by a loving and supportive family. She attended the St. Joseph’s School for the Deaf, located in the Bronx. From what I have been told by fellow students, she was a very caring person who always tried to make them feel comfortable and safe in their new and unfamiliar surroundings.

She married Domingo Francia on March 23rd, 1957. She was nineteen and he was twenty-seven. The first son born was Jesus (deaf) on Jan. 19, 1958. The second son born was Jose (Marine veteran) on March 4, 1960. The third son born was Johnny (deaf) on November 22, 1964. Both Jesus and Johnny attended Fanwood School for the Deaf in White Plains, New York. Jose went through the public school system. She has one grandson, Jose D. Francia (Retired Air Force), who she truly adored and loved.

She was a strong advocate for those in the deaf community. She participated in many functions and events for charitable causes within the deaf community. I can’t think of anything else to say except that she was a loving person who always looked out for others. Thank you