Francis E. Youssi, 88, of Batavia, Ill., passed away into the loving arms of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Thursday, Feb. 16, at Delnor Hospital in Geneva. He was born on July 11, 1923, in Menomonie, Wis., the son of Edward G. Youssi and Wanda (Hendrickson) Youssi.
His family moved to Batavia in 1925, where he resided until his death. Francis graduated from Batavia High School in 1941 and attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign until he was drafted in January 1943. He served in the U.S. ArmyAir Corps as a gunner, bombardier and navigator in the 441st and 442nd squadron of the 320th Bomb Group in the 12th Air Force and later in the 1st tactical division stationed in Sardinia, Corsica and France, during World War II. He flew 63 missions in total and earned the rank of Technical Sergeant.
After the war ended, he attended Aurora College and earned his bachelor of science degree. He then attended law school at DePaul University College of Law in Chicago, where he graduated first in his class in 1950. His love of Batavia brought him back to the community, and he opened his solo law practice at the First National Bank Building in downtown Batavia. He also opened a branch office in Aurora at the Law Office of Beamisch, Edwards and Brunnemeyer. He met the love of his life, Frances Gittleson of DeKalb, in 1950, and they were married in 1952 in Creston. They were inseparable until her death in 1997.