The Reverend Terry Francis

Diocese of Athabasca

Terry has been married to Patricia for 51 years and they have three sons and eight grandchildren. He’s been involved with farming, in one way or another, all his life. According to Terry, the secret of a successful farming career is to have abilities that will allow you to make a living when the farm has a bad year. Over the course of his 50-plus years of farming he’s worked for the Alberta Department of Agriculture, a manufacturing plant, owned a honey packing business, a harness and carriage manufacturing business, was a horse and carriage driving coach and judge, as well as training carriage driving horses. He’s raised honeybees, cattle, pigs, poultry, horses and sheep, as well as grain and hay crops. After twentysome years of lay ministry, Terry went back to school to study theology and in 2015 was ordained a priest. He served in two parishes before retiring and is now an honorary assistant in the Parish of Athabasca. Patricia and Terry continue to run a small farm raising purebred Dorset breeding stock.