William A. "Tony" France

William A. "Tony" France, 70, of Robinson, IL, passed away on October 1, 2023, at Union Hospital in Terre Haute, IN. Born on February 16, 1953, in Vincennes, IN, he would go on to personify the virtues of dedication and honesty and lived a life filled with hard work, ingenuity, and a whole lot of fishing!

Tony met and married the love of his life, Gloria "Jean" Kemper, on December 15, 1974, and she preceded him in death on January 3, 2015. He was also preceded in death by his parents, William Richard France & Lois (Goodwin) France; by his granddaughter, Jenny Woods; by his brother, Jack France; by his parents-in-law, Jack and Esther (Newlin) Kemper; and by his sister-in-law, Jackie Goff.

He is survived by three daughters and one son; Becky Woods, Jolene Smothers, Jason France & his wife, Christina, and Marie France & her significant other, Ron Tidwell; by fourteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; by his sisters, Melba Sue Metzler, Phyllis Martinez, and Nancy Gale Rodriguez; by his sister-in-law & brother-in-law, Debbie & John Russell; by his brother-in-law, Norman "Junior" Goff; as well as several nieces and nephews.

Tony grew up in Vincennes before moving to Palestine, IL, where he began a rewarding career in farmwork. He would spend most of the rest of his life in Crawford County, not including the time he spent serving his country in the U.S. Marine Corps. His time in the Corps strengthened his resolve and formed him into the resolute, hard-working man we knew and admired. We saw these attributes on display throughout the 30 years he spent working his tail off at Senco Construction as a Laborer through Locals #1280 and #1197.

An avid outdoorsman, Tony was known for his love of fishing. He relished the peace and tranquility he found on the river, where he often caught catfish while sitting on a recliner on board "Tony Bill's Fishing Boat". His record catch was an impressive 70+ lb flathead, a memory he cherished and often recounted. Heck, he would even fish at home on his Wii, which provided him with countless hours of fun and entertainment!

In addition to his infamous love of fishing, Tony was known to be...let's call it..."hard-headed". And though he was a man set in his ways, he had a heart soft enough to melt at the sight of his grandkids, to whom he could never say "no." His generosity was also evident in the way he would show up to help when anyone was in need. In fact, he would help even if someone didn't think they needed it! He'd stand them aside and do the work himself using whatever he had on hand: duct tape, chicken wire, you name it. It may not have always been pretty, but was it ever creative!

We will miss his resourcefulness, his straight-shooting honesty, as well as his distinct brand of humor that led him to call everyone "ugly." May his memory continue to inspire us to live passionately, give generously, and speak the truth. Thanks for everything, Tony.

A time of visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 5th, at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson. Memorial contributions may be made to the "Riley Hospital for Children", with envelopes available at the funeral home. Cremation will take place following the visitation.