Corine Francis

Carrie Corine (Payne) Francis was born July 10, 1933, to Charles V. and Thelma J. (Lovell) Payne of Saddle Mountain Community, Oklahoma. Better known as Corine, she is the oldest child of 6. She attended Green Valley School and graduated as the valedictorian of the 8-member class of 1951 from Sedan School in the Mountain View, OK area. After two years at Cameron Junior College in Lawton, OK, her Home Economics degree was completed in 1955 at Oklahoma A & M. During the fall semester in 1954, she met David J. (Jack) Francis on a blind date. They married July 9, 1955, in the Methodist Church at Mountain View, OK. Jack completed his engineering degree from Oklahoma State University in 1959.

Corine is survived by Jacquetta Francis of Claremore, Glen (Donna) Francis of Madison, AL, and Mark (Cindy) Francis of Clayton, NC. She is survived by five grandchildren: Zachary (Calie) Francis of Crestview, FL, William Francis of Norfolk, VA, Jonathan (Lilly) Francis of Montgomery, AL, Anna Francis of Cary, NC, Jack Francis of Clayton, NC. She is also survived by two sisters, Veda Jean (Eugene) Tate of Lincoln City, OR, and Barbara (Loy) Cavett of Denver, CO, and sisters-in-law Brenda (Virgil) Payne of Mountain View, OK, plus numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, and nephews.

While Corine was in grade school at the Saddle Mountain District 101 Schoolhouse, she accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior during a Methodist service conducted there once a month. Her grandmama, Mearle Payne, was her Sunday School teacher. Corine and Jack would be involved in Southern Baptist church activities as leaders and sponsors in Stillwater, OK, Littleton, CO, Midwest City, OK, and Blanchard, OK. Her children benefited from Corine and Jack’s commitment to church attendance. The family moved to Blanchard, OK in 1968, where the three Francis children eventually graduated from high school.

Corine worked as a Home Economics teacher in Chandler, OK, for the 1955 to 1956 school year then worked at a variety of jobs putting Jack through school. She taught as an elementary aide in Blanchard and was a stay-at-home mom for many years. She was employed as a Customer Service Representative for Pioneer Co-op telephone company until her retirement. She and Jack decided to become Campers on Mission members. They were later to join the Baptist Builders group who traveled to help rebuild or renovate parsonages, church buildings, campgrounds, and areas devastated by disasters. They worked ten years principally through these two organizations after their final retirement from the telephone company in December, 1989.

Corine is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Jack Francis, infant son, Charles Robert Francis “Chucky,” and her brother David Payne. Sister, Frances Marie (Payne) Hudgins passed on August 6, 2025, and brother, Virgil Robert Payne, passed on September 9, 2025. At such a time as this, please consider your loved ones and how quickly life can change.

Jack and Corine enjoyed working with other couples from across the state on building projects and camping trips. They became supporters of the Southern Baptist Disaster Recovery group. If you would like to remember Corine with a donation to an organization she followed, please consider donating to the needs of this group or one with a similar dedication to help others in times of need.