Berkeleyan

Obituary
Michael Francisco

02 March 2005

Michael Francisco

Michael E. Francisco, a UC employee for more than 35 years, died Friday, Jan. 28, at age 63. He held positions at the Berkeley Language Lab, Educational Technology Services (formerly the Office of Media Services), and the Disabled Students' Program.

Francisco, who received his A.S. degree in metallurgy, started his career at Berkeley as a recording technician at the Berkeley Language Lab, where he recorded and edited soundtracks for TV productions. Later, the Office of Media Services recruited him as a principal TV producer. In that role he assisted in producing video material for the School of Social Welfare, as well as providing the "voice" for many of Berkeley's TV productions. He was later the director of the Open Window series, a national cable TV program about the university.

For the past seven years, Francisco worked as a computer programmer and analyst for the Disabled Students' Program, where he helped design and implement a state-of-the-art online student-services system. He is remembered by the DSP staff for his dedication to serving students with disabilities and his unfailing courtesy and patience with both students and staff.

He is survived by his wife, Burma Francisco of North San Juan; daughter Sisi Reynolds of Grass Valley; granddaughter Carina Reynolds of Grass Valley; sister and brother-in-law, Patricia and Lester Madden of Reno, Nev.; and niece and husband, Sue and Wes Lewis of Verdi, Nev.

A campuswide memorial is being held on Thursday, March 3, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Tilden Room of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Union. Memorial contributions may be sent to First Baptist Church in Nevada City, where Francisco was an organist for many years.