Francis L. Babcock ;

Francis Lee “Bud” “Doc” Babcock Birth Sept. 17, 1928 Rochester, Fulron county Indiana Death Dec. 23, 2015 Green Valley, AZ. Burial Culver Masonic Cemetery, Culver, Marshall county Indiana. He was the youngest son of Dr. I. L. (Lawrence Isaac 'Doc') and Laura Ellen Spangler Babcock

Francis Lee “Bud” “Doc” Babcock, 87, passed away of natural causes on Dec. 23, 2015, at his home in Green Valley, AZ. Born Sept. 17, 1928, in Rochester, IN.,



Buc’s youth was happily spent on Lake Manitou, where his parents owned rental cottages and -- over the years -- other businesses including a restaurant, a meat processing plant, and a boat dealership.

Before pursuing his BS and Doctor of Optometry degrees at Indiana University, Bud proudly served in the U. S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War.

While he was stationed in Bainbridge, MD., he met his “life’s helpmate and one love,” Mary Galinski, with whom he shared 64 years of marriage.

Generally known as “Doc,” Bud moved his growing family to Culver, and opened his optometry practice in 1957, where he practiced until his retirement in 1998. For many years, he travelled to Argos twice a week to care for patients there, as well.

Bud found great joy in helping others – from annual elementary school vision checks to home visits for shut-ins to providing blood pressure monitoring at local clinics during his retirement. He helped make our little corner of the world a clearer place -- thanks to a child’s brand new set of glasses or early detection of eye disease. Optometry was his profession, but making a difference in people’s lives was his art and his gift.

He is survived by his children, Mary Theressa “Terry” Babcock, Tucson, AZ.; Lawrence Alexander “Larry” Babcock, Ft. Wayne, IN.; Robert Allen Babcock, Sr. (Susan), Rome, GA.; William Howard Babcock, Rome, GA.; and Rebecca Ann Babcock Kelly (Andrew), New Orleans, LA.; and grandchildren R. Allen Babcock, Jr., Leysin, Switzerland; Andrew Cooper Babcock (India) and Bradley Ross Pollard, Rome, GA.; and Kathleen Mariella Kelly and Eamon Francis Kelly, New Orleans, LA.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ella Galinski Babcock; his parents, Lawrence Isaac “Doc” and Theressa Mae (Hendricks) Babcock; his siblings, Bonita Jean Stewart and William L. Babcock; and his granddaughter, Mary Alice Babcock.

In accordance with their wishes, Mary and Bud’s ashes will be interred together during a private, graveside memorial service that will be held at the Culver Masonic Cemetery, Culver, IN., on June 29.

marriec Mary Galinski Birth Feb. 16, 1928 Gary, WV, Death Oct. 11, 2015 Green Valley, AZ. Burial Culver Masonic Cemetery, Culver, Marshall county Indiana. daughter of Alexander Joseph Galinski and Lula Pearl Terry

This weekend [6 Oct 2011], former Culver residents Dr. and Mrs. F. L. Babcock (Mary) will celebrate their 60th wedding annivesary with their children and grandchildren at their daughter's home in New Orleans



The couple met in Mary's hometown of Havre de Grace, Maryland, while her future husband was stationed at Bainbridge Naval Training Station.

After Dr. babcock's 1957 graduation from indiana University, the couple moved to Culver to open dr. Babcock's optometric practice in their home at 203 S. Main.

Mary's work career took her from Culver Academies to Stat Exchange Bank to real estate and then back to the Academies.

The Babcocks retired to Green Valley, Arizona, in 1998.

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On Oct. 11, 2015, we lost our lifelong example of compassion, thoughtfulness, and selflessness. Mary Ella (Galinski) Babcock, 87, beloved wife of Dr. Francis Lee Babcock, passed away from multiple organ failure at her home in Green Valley, AZ. Mary was born in Gary, WV, on Feb. 16, 1928, and grew up in Elkton, MD.



She was a graduate of Elkton High School.

She is survived by her sister Neta Foley, Havre de Grace, MD.; her children: Mary Theressa “Terry” Babcock, Tucson, AZ.; Lawrence Alexander “Larry” Babcock, Ft. Wayne, IN.; Robert Allen Babcock, Sr. (Susan), Rome, GA.; William Howard Babcock, Rome, GA.; Rebecca Babcock Kelly (Andrew), New Orleans, LA.; and her grandchildren: R. Allen Babcock, Jr., Leysin, Switzerland; Andrew Cooper Babcock (India) and Bradley Ross Pollard, Rome, GA.; Kathleen Mariella Kelly and Eamon Francis Kelly, New Orleans, LA.; as well as her treasured nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her parents Alexander Joseph and Lula Pearl (Terry) Galinski; her sister Helen Liberatore, Havre de Grace, MD.; and her granddaughter Mary Alice Babcock, Rome, GA. Her husband, known to his friends as “Bud” and his patients as “Doc,” stayed with us for just two more months until his passing on Dec. 23, 2015.

On March 25, 2016, her younger sister, Elva Galyen passed away in Elkton, MD.

Tenacity and willpower helped our mother through difficult experiences -- most especially the loss of her granddaughter to ARVD, several years of shots into her eyes to slow the effects of macular degeneration, and aggressive cancer treatment when she was in her 70s. But Mother's resilience, love for her family, innate need to help those less fortunate in the community, and deep faith in God brought her joy each day, despite the challenges that some days held.

Our favorite memories of Mary's well-lived life include her almost-world-famous jams, jellies, preserves, pickled vegetables, and relish; homemade, candy-decorated cakes for holiday parties at school; awakening us for our early morning paper routes (“commitment” and “duty” weren’t very popular words at 6 a.m., but became a strong part of our moral fiber); going to libraries and schools to put on “Seymour Safely” puppet shows; her softball playing days; disco dancing lessons at La Tavola; getting up before dawn to go pick whatever fruit or vegetable was in season that week; her favorite bowling trophies from her days of league play at the Culver Bowling Alley; shoes, shoes, and more shoes!; tens of thousands of memorable hours of volunteer work with her dearest friends in the United Methodist Women’s organization at Wesley United Methodist Church (Culver, IN.) and Catalina Methodist Church (Tucson, AZ.); enjoying water aerobics at Ancilla College (Plymouth, IN.) and later with Silver Sneakers (Green Valley, AZ.); and donating gallons upon gallons of blood to local blood banks over more than 50 years. While her enigmatic smile made us smile in kind, Mother’s trademark dry wit and quick retorts were utterly magnificent to behold.

Her family is thankful for Mary’s nearly 12 years of cancer remission – and with it, 12 extra years of memories -- travel adventures to Europe, coin collecting, vacations with her children and grandchildren, more hours reading and not watching sports with her "boyfriend" (64 years of marriage and she still called him that!).

In honor of Mary Ella Galinski Babcock's service to her community, please consider doing something kind for a friend or stranger. Make someone else's day a bit easier or happier, just as our mother would have done.

In accordance with their wishes, Mary and Bud’s ashes will be interred together during a private, graveside memorial service that will be held at the Culver Masonic Cemetery, Culver, IN., on June 29.

Their children:

1 Mary Theressa “Terry” Babcock of Tucson, Arizona;

2 Lawrence Alexander “Larry” Babcock of Tuscon, Arizona;

3 Robert Allen Babcock, Sr. , born of Rome, Georgia; married Lucy Griffith and they have three children:
Robert Allen Babcock Jr.; Andrew Cooper Babcock ; Mary Alice Babcock ; deceased.
married Susan---

4 William Howard "Howie" Babcock of Culver Rome, Georgia;, married 1st Joyce Von Ehr and divorced; he remarried and believed to have divorced again.

5 Rebecca Babcock of Culver, New Orleans, LA. married Andrew Kelly
Kathleen Mariella Kelly
Eamon Francis Kelly

'