Francis C. Zeller, age 89, passed away at his home in McCracken, Kansas on January 9, 2012. He was born on the family farm, seven miles northeast of Brownell, on July 7, 1922 to Joseph and Agnes Silberhorn Zeller. He attended elementary school at Peach Valley rural school and high school at Brownell Rural High School, graduating in 1940. He attended one year at Fort Hays State College. In October of 1942 he went to Fort Riley and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He was sent to Eagle Pass, Texas to the Advance Single Engine Training Base where he was stationed for 32 months. After this, he was stationed in several air Bases and due to illness, was sent to Fitsimons General Hospital in Denver. Here, he spent the last six months of his time, being discharged after six months in the hospital.

On February 1, 1944, he married Julia Davenport in Kansas City, Missouri. She was born in McCracken and they had gone together for four years before marriage. To this marriage brought three sons: William, Martin, and John. William and John live in McCracken and Martin is deceased. William has two sons, Daniel and William. John has two daughters, Sarah and Rachel. Daniel has two children, a son and daughter. Rachel has a son and daughter.

After being discharged from the Air Force, Francis returned to the farm north of Brownell for two years and then moved to the farm northwest of McCracken for eight years. He then was appointed Rural Mail Carrier for Rural Route #1 and served as rural Carrier for 25 years.

In 1959, he was introduced to square dance lessons and decided that was something he could do so he started teaching people to square dance and started calling in Western Kansas. He became popular and much in demand. He was hired to be on the staff at square Dance Camps in Colorado where he met dancers from all over the United States. He became staff caller at the American Square Dance Society and through the World Group Travel out of Downers Grove, Illinois, he hosted trips to Europe. In 1974, he was selected to be a member of an organization called Caller Lab. He was one of the first 100 international callers to be asked to form the organization. He called for 42 years in 44 states and 10 foreign countries and military bases.

He was a member of the LaCrosse Knights of Columbus, being a Third Degree for sixty years and a Fourth Degree for fifty years. He had also been a member of the American Legion since 1946. Member of Caller Lab – International Square Dance Callers Association since 1974. Also, he was a member of the Kansas State Callers Association for at least fifty years.

In addition to his wife, sons, and grandchildren, he is survived by nieces and nephews, many cousins, and friends.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, January 13, 2012, at 10:30 A.M. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in McCracken, Kansas. Vigil and Rosary is on Thursday at 6:30 P.M. at the church. Friends may call at Fitzgerald Funeral Home, Ness City, on Wednesday from 3 P.M. to 9 P.M. and Thursday form 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. Burial in McCracken Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be given to Hospice/Pallative Care at HaysMed.