Francine Debetham

Francine Pitts-DeBetham a longtime Far Rockaway resident died July 17. She was 80. Francine moved to the Rockaway area at four and remeained there for over fifty years. She graduated in 1956 with a commercial diploma. That served her well as she worked in multiple branches of the government. As an Assistant Director of H.U.D. Francine also introduced community services to "at risk" teenaged girls to prepare them for adulthood. This was a program she created through the Edgemere Day Care Center. She was also a former member of First Baptist Church. She moved to Pennsylvania with her daughter Simone and neice Karen one year after her husband Alfred passed away in 2009. She was preceded in death by her mother, Lucille; father John; husband Alfred; brothers John Jr, and David; sisters Alicia, and Gloria. She is survived by daughter, Simone; grandsons Jo-el and Justin; neice Karen; grand-daughters Anya and London; sister Betty (Reuben); brother Z.Q. Abdu-Shahid (Jamillah); sisters-in-law Catherine (Edward), Joann, MeryEllyn; brothers-in-law Leroy (Bess); and Rudolph.