Theo Ann "Annie" (Brown) Francis

Theo Anne “Annie” (Brown) Francis passed away at her home in Savoy, Illinois, on December 17, 2025.

Theo Ann Brown was born in Madison, Wisconsin, on September 9, 1952, to Ralph and Celia (Bird) Brown before moving to Mahomet, Illinois, where she was raised with her blended family including sisters Celia and Barbara; brothers Ralph, Michael, and Greg; and stepmother Bernadine.

She graduated from Mahomet-Seymour High School in 1970 where she was a member of the National Honor Society. She went on to attend the University of Colorado Boulder, where she was a member of the Hiking Club, and then the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in music and master’s degree in education.

Always a lover of music, Annie sang and played guitar and French horn. She was a member of New Verbal Workshop and Equinox, who played locally and at the National Women’s Music Festival. She was a server at Wagers’ Cafe, taught guitar at Parkland College, worked at Amdocs, and joined the Grants and Contracts Office at the University of Illinois. After retirement she enjoyed working part-time at Pizza M.

She loved visiting her many cousins in the Cape Cod, Massachusetts, area, as well as traveling to Madison. Both regions represented her family lineage, which descended from the first English colonists in North America and the founding families of Madison.

Annie was incredibly generous, giving freely and frequently to local and international charities. She was also quick to open her home of more than 30 years in the Winfield Village Cooperative to anyone who needed it, providing a place for international students to stay while making permanent arrangements. She was beloved by her neighbors and the Winfield staff, and she loved the Winfield community in turn.

She was also a woman of loving and inclusive faith. Having been involved with local churches, taking classes at a local synagogue, and being connected through folk music and dance to the local Unitarian Universalist community, Annie drew and exemplified spiritual lessons of compassion from many traditions while being a devout Christian.

The community she found in her later years through the Urbana Country Dancers provided a great source of fun, friendship, and support. She was a joyous light at every dance, twirled in many beautiful skirts (all from thrift stores), waltzed gracefully, warmly welcomed new dancers, and excelled as Jan Jam volunteer coordinator.

Annie loved: her family, many friends, laughing, warm hugs, holding hands, children (“pumpkins” or “sweethearts”), cats, dogs, dancing (especially waltzing), folk music; walking on the Lake Park berm, around Meadowbrook Park, and around Winfield Village, canoeing and sailing; Bert’s brownies, chocolate, cookies, croissants, ice cream, lemon bars, and tiramisu; all Asian cuisines, especially bento boxes, pad see ew, poke bowls, and tofu dishes; Coca Cola, Irish cream, wine; Common Ground Food Co-op, watching PBS (especially British comedies); taking Carlo’s Italian cooking classes, participating in D4PwP’s classes, and getting haircuts.

Annie was a gentle, kind, and loving soul. She was beloved by all who knew her. Despite suffering from Dementia with Lewy Bodies in her last years, Annie was always in good spirits. She could dance even when she struggled to walk, and her face would light up with a huge smile whenever she saw friends.

Annie is survived by her son and full-time caregiver Jesse Phillippe, son Christopher (Laura) Francis, grandson August Theodore Francis, sister Barbara (Matt) Thomas, lifelong best friend Joan Krohn, partner Daniel Lewart, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. 

A celebration of life for Annie will be held at noon on April 25 at the Channing Murray Foundation (1209 W Oregon St, Urbana, IL). All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Illinois Public Media, Urbana Country Dancers, or to any charity of your choice.

May her memory be a blessing.

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