Church Services Today For 'Flag Man' Martin Francis

Funeral services for Martin Francis, the "Flag Man," will be held today at 10:00 a.m. at the Church of the Assumption at 1100 Fulton Avenue in San Leandro.

Burial services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Monday, Oct. 3, at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 1051 Harder Road, Hayward.

Over the last 30 years Francis displayed an unusual reverence for the U.S. flag and an eagerness to share his passion with young people, earning himself a special place in the hearts of civic and educational leaders.

Last June a City Council proclamation named Francis as San Leandro's Official Vexillologist, that is, a historian of the flag.

He fell ill last Friday night on his way to an American Legion meeting at the Veteran's Memorial Building on Bancroft Avenue. He was taken away in an ambulance and passed away shortly thereafter.

His passing was mourned by San Leandro officials including former mayors Sheila Young and Tony Santos, and many of his neighbors in the Broadmoor district, where he lived and worked for many years.

Francis is survived by his wife, Iona, and son, Tom.