A Life of Adventure, Service and Sharing
Francis Raymond Line, long-time resident of Capistrano Beach for
39 years, passed away March 2nd at age 95. He was
born in New London, Ohio, and raised in Howell, Michigan. In
1922, after graduation from high school, he and his brother hitch-hiked
to every state in the Union and three years later circled the
globe.
After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1928, he married
Helen Gibson of Arizona and soon moved to Ontario, California,
where they founded the still-active Chaffey Community Art Association
in 1941. Francis and Helen Line purchased the famed natural landmark
- Eagle Rock - and surrounding 20 acres in 1943, where they resided
for 17 years.
From 1939 through the 1960s, Francis produced over 20 films, lecturing
with them throughout America, becoming the most popular on the
travel-adventure circuit. He received, with Helen, the first
Martin Luther King Human Dignity award from the Metropolitan YMCA
of Los Angeles, for work with the youth of Watts. During the
1980s he authored eight books and has been published in National
Geographic, Boys' Life and Arizona
Highways.
He is survived by a daughter, Adrienne Knute of Cima, California;
grandson Jeff Knute of Winslow, AZ; granddaughter Jan Barsten
of Brandbury, CA; granddaughter Krista Mettala of Kirkkonummi,
Finland; and five great grandchildren. A memorial service will
be held at St. Andrew's-by-the-Sea United Methodist Church in
San Clemente, California, on Saturday, March 13th at
2:00 PM Internment took place at Bellevue Memorial Park in Ontario,
California.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation be made in
the name of Francis Line to your favorite charity. Arrangements
by San Clemente Mortuary.
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