Beginning with the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, Roy Francis served in eight administrations in his 37-year career in the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Interior.
“People asked me what I was going to do when I retired, and I flippantly said, ‘I guess I’m going to go volunteer or something,’ ” said Francis with a big laugh. “Little did I know what the Lord had in store for me.”
When Francis, 80, and wife, Norma, retired to Fauquier County in 2002, volunteering became a way of life, centered on St. John the Evangelist Church in Warrenton.
“I can always count on him,” said Father Charles C. Smith, pastor. “If I have an issue or a problem, his response is always, ‘I’ll be there in five minutes.’ ”
With a clump of keys dangling from his beltloop, the tall, slim Francis is in constant motion — on his hands and knees fixing pews, checking bathroom supplies, attending the grounds, or preparing bulletins for Sunday Mass. For the last 16 years, he’s been chair of the finance council and has served two stints as Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus Father Veger Council No. 5561.
“It just happened naturally,” said Francis. “I like serving people and I have a wonderful wife who believes the same way. She’s head of the altar society here so we have a lot in common. We’re both constantly wanting to give to the church.”
Francis did something 15 months ago most men in their late 70s would never consider doing. He ran for, and won a seat on the Warrenton Town Council, where he’s immersed in controversies and daily high-stakes political battles.
“It’s more than I expected,” he conceded. “I get requests from people to react to something. For instance, we just had a four-way stop sign put in because kids couldn’t walk to school where cars were going by 50 miles an hour. When someone wants to install new lighting in their parking lot, you must think about how that lighting will be amenable to neighbors because you don’t want lights blasting all over the place.”
Since becoming a politician, Francis has learned that it’s impossible to appease everyone. He relies on his faith to guide. “I vote the way I think that it will help the people and the town. However I vote, I know that 50% of the people probably won’t like it, but I will always tell the truth. And if I tell the truth, I never have to remember what I said because I will always answer the question the same way.”
Father Smith said that volunteers like Francis are vital to the success of any parish. “When I came here in 2019, he was literally at the door as I was walking out of the rectory to the office to start my first day here and the first thing he said was, ‘What can I do for you?’ ”
Father Smith’s favorite Roy story is when the town police called to inform him that a baby deer was trapped within the fenced area of the pond on church grounds. “The gate was locked and I knew that Roy had every key to the church so I texted him and said, ‘We’ve gotta get this deer out.’ Roy responded with ‘I’ll be there in five minutes.’ He just dropped everything he was doing and sure enough, the deer was out in five minutes. I always know that whatever I need, if Roy’s on it, he’ll do it.”
With his easygoing demeanor, Francis embodies the spirit and hospitality that has become a trademark of St. John the Evangelist. “It’s just very peaceful and calm here,” he said. “Everybody who comes doesn’t ever want to leave because it’s such a pleasant place. It provides you with a place to grow in your spirituality and to just enjoy life.”
