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The Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District community is grieving the loss of two staff members who died just over a month apart.
Marilyn Inez Burns, executive assistant to the principal at Croce Elementary School, died Aug. 4. Weeks later, Brett Armond Francois — child welfare and attendance specialist at multiple school sites — died after battling cancer.
“He was kind and generous with his time, always finding ways to support students no matter the situation,” Joe Michell K-8 School principal Donielle Machi said of Francois. “His smile was ever-present, and his signature style, even down to his perfectly matched shoes, brought joy to those around him.”
“Brett’s presence made a difference every day, and he will be deeply missed,” Machi added.
Francois worked at the district for nearly two decades, serving as a campus supervisor at Granada High School and later as a multi-site child welfare and attendance specialist.
Outside of work, Francois was a devoted husband, father, friend and coach of his daughters’ Little League teams, according to a family obituary.
The Patterson resident was also a New York Yankees fan with a knack for cooking.
“Brett gave so much to our schools, our community and to everyone who knew him,” said April Mata, executive assistant to the principal at Joe Michell. “What I will miss most are his stories about his wife and daughters, the love he had for his dogs, his humor and jokes and of course his ‘fit’.”
“His legacy will live on through so many of us, as he has left a lasting impression on countless hearts,” Mata added.
Over the past two and a half years, Francois battled Stage 3 metastatic squamous cell cancer, according to a GoFundMe page dedicated to supporting the Francois family through funeral expenses, memorial services and remaining medical costs. Prior to his death, he was also found to have stage four metastatic prostatic adenocarcinoma, which spread to his sternum.
Francois started a six-month course of nuclear infusion as a “last-resort” treatment, according to the GoFundMe.
“Brett faced his battle with cancer with the same courage and selflessness he showed in every other part of his life,” his obituary states. “Even during treatment, all he wanted was to return to work and continue helping the students he cared so deeply about.”
Francois died Sept. 8 surrounded by family, according to the GoFundMe. He was 54 years old.
He is survived by his wife Gladys Francois; three daughters Alexandra, Evina, and Ilianna; his son-in-law Scott Anderson as well as his pets Jeter, Bernie, Mo and Andy, according to his obituary. Memorial services for Francois were undetermined as of press time.
Burns was 69 years old when she died unexpectedly last month.
A Livermore resident, Burns worked at Croce for 21 years — accumulating an overall tenure at the district of more than 30 years, according to Croce principal Jennifer Burkholder.
“Marilyn was a central piece of Croce,” Burkholder said. “She was a confidant, someone we trusted with our hardest moments.”
“She was a mentor, guiding not just our staff, but others new in their role in the district. She was a nurse when a scraped knee or a worried parent came through the door. She was a mother to the staff, always reminding us of what mattered most, and she was truly a grandmother to every student who walked our halls,” the principal added.
The LVJUSD Board of Education honored Burns on Aug. 12, during the trustees’ first meeting of the school year.
Of her unexpected passing, Board President Emily Prusso said, “She was an important figure in our community and will be greatly missed and my prayers are with her family at this time.”
“My sincere condolences go out to the Croce community, the school site as well as Marilyn’s family,” Superintendent Torie Gibson said during the meeting.
The meeting was later adjourned in honor of Burns and her memory.
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