Francis D. Kimes

 Francis D. Kimes, he was devoted to his family and his faith, rearing six children with his wife of 59 years, Mary Rose, and playing an integral role in the success and spiritual outreach of St. Dominic Catholic Church in Youngstown.

Mr. Kimes, 83, died Monday after a short illness. His wife, for whom he was the primary caregiver the past three years, was at his side. There will be a mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. Saturday May 5, 2018, at St. Dominic's celebrated by the Rev. Vincent Delucia.

Born in Lafferty, Ohio in, 1934, he was the youngest of eight children of Mary Lucille and John William Kimes. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers John and Raymond; and sisters Jean, Betty and Dorothy. In addition to his wife, he leaves behind sons Donald (Debbie), David (Mary), Mark (Sharon); daughters Mary Lynne (Joe) McAuliffe, Lisa, Elizabeth (Mike) McIntyre; 15 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, as well as his brother Robert and sister Marian.

He moved to Youngstown as a high school sophomore to live with his older brother, Raymond. While attending Rayen High School, he worked at the A&P Tea Co. to help support his mother.

He served 18 months in the Army, stationed in France, where the highlights were visiting the Shrine of Our Lady in Lourdes and playing for his Army Ordnance Company baseball team. In June 1956, while playing the Army Engineering Company baseball team in Fontainebleau, France, he played catcher in the first game of a doubleheader, then pitched and won the second game.

He returned to A&P after his discharge and played baseball for the Lowellville Falcon Foundry AA sandlot team. He spent his entire career in the food industry, with stops at Purex and Green Giant, while attending night classes at Youngstown State University to study business. He was an owner and vice president of Fodor Food Brokerage Co. in Cleveland from the late 1970s until 1990. After a few months of retirement, he joined the Conrad Food Brokerage Co. in Poland, Ohio, where he worked part time until the age of 80.

He was a Grand Knight of Youngstown Knights of Columbus and was a charter member of St. Dominic Bishop Fenwick Knights of Columbus and of St. Dominic St. Pius V Knights of Columbus. He was a member of the Youngstown Cursillo, Diocese of Youngstown Serra Club, Right to Life of Mahoning County and the Catholic Men’s Fellowship of the Diocese of Youngstown. In 2002, Francis and Mary Rose were named the Diocese of Youngstown’s Knights of Columbus family of the year.

A member of the Youngstown Old Timers Baseball Association, he coached with the Youngstown Babe Ruth baseball league and he and his wife served as presidents of the Cardinal Mooney Band Parents from 1973 to 1979.

He was active at St. Dominic since 1960 and served as a parish council member, chairman of the parish finance council, treasurer of the St. Dominic School’s Parent and Teachers Association and chairman of the parish’s Bishop’s Appeal. He founded a Catholic Men’s Fellowship group at St. Dominic and joined the Catholic Men’s Fellowship Diocesan Board of Directors in 2010.

He was a founder of the St. Dominic Golf League and played regularly, showing a knack for finding lost (experienced) golf balls. He estimated he’d found more than 100,000 of them, which he shared with his children and friends and donated to the pro shop at Tanglewood Golf Course.

The highlights of his life were attending daily Mass, leading the rosary and enjoying family reunions at Maumee Bay State Park and Thanksgiving dinner with his family, grandchildren and friends.

Family and friends may call from 9 a.m.  to 10:20 a.m. Saturday May 5, 2018 at St. Dominic Church.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Fox Funeral Home 4700 Market St. Boardman, Ohio 44512.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the St. Dominic Parish Major Appeal Fund, 77 E. Lucius Ave., Youngstown, Ohio 44507, the Bishop’s Appeal of the Diocese of Youngstown, 144 W. Wood St., Youngstown, Ohio 44503 or the Catholic Men’s Fellowship of the Diocese of Youngstown, c/o St. Dominic Parish.

Family and friends may visit www.foxfuneral home.org to view this obituary and to send condolences.

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