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< Gossip/VW Talk area ~ Francis Baptist

whitehouse

Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:03 pm

Nutter

Joined: 02 Aug 2004 Posts: 736 Location: Napier

I was very sad to hear that Francis lost his battle with cancer on Sunday night.

He did alot for the VW scene in New Zealand and will be sadly missed.

See you in the big VW garage in the sky mate.

_________________
Save the tree's and save the patina

09 VW Nats Napier

Check out my website link (below)

whitehouse

Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:06 pm

Nutter

Joined: 02 Aug 2004 Posts: 736 Location: Napier

Funeral arrangements

This Thursday 9/3

The cortege will be leaving from Morrison's Funeral Directors, 239 Lincoln Road, Henderson at 10-00 am sharp.

Francis' vehicles will lead the cortege and the family have invited all VW club members to drive their VW in the cortege to Schnapper Rock for the service.

At the completion of the service we have all been invited back to Francis and Vicky's for a BBQ.

John Atkinson

Last edited by whitehouse on Tue Mar 07, 2006 10:33 pm; edited 1 time in total
_________________
Save the tree's and save the patina

09 VW Nats Napier

Check out my website link (below)

tedz

Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:57 pm

Nutter

Joined: 01 Jul 2004 Posts: 957 Location: Pukekohe

Thanks Whitehouse, Somebody had to post it, and I couldn't bring myself to do it.

He was an inspiration to many in the club, and well known in the local and international VW community.

_________________
Nothing like getting it out of the shed, and driving it!!

cactuskombi

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:19 am

Addicted Nut

Joined: 24 Aug 2004 Posts: 1185 Location: At 140 KMH and 4200 RPM NO ONE can hear you scream.....

yeah,I couldn't do it either Tedz.

A truly sad day for the VW scene.What Francis did was not only inspirational,but it was also thorough and complete.

Whenever I drive any aircooled VW,I will remember him as one of the few guys that have helped to keep me interested in the aircooled stuff,be it VW or Porsche.

_________________
11 Window Kombi - The best of ALL worlds.

villawagen

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 7:06 am

Leading Hand

Joined: 05 Dec 2005 Posts: 102 Location: birmingham uk

my condolences to his family Sad

_________________
midland dub force. birmingham

3spoke.

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 8:34 am

A-Grade Nutter

Joined: 22 Jun 2004 Posts: 327 Location: tbb Tiele-haus

Yes this is truely a very sad loss to the Baptist family and also the VW Scene not only in New Zealand but also Europe and the USA,Francis had an amazing amount of passion,drive,and was one of the most focused people I have known,he set the benchmark for others to follow with his restorations and was always there to offer a lending hand to those that needed help or advise.
Francis built in a very short time a very sucessfull business,the best VW collection in New Zealand, period, while maintaining a strong love for his family,and it is to his family and close friends I offer my true condolence to you all...my thoughts are with you all.
Francis buddy,you left your footprint on earth and will be missed by all of us!!
VW events will not be the same from now on......your passion was contagious.
Tony.

_________________
Fast is 50mph......
Low is how our belly looks...
and Handling is how the parcel of NOS goodies is packed....'correctness' at its finest!

Diamond

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:25 am

Leading Hand

Joined: 12 Mar 2005 Posts: 103 Location: Auckland

Hi Sorry
Heard the sad news about francis passing, was it today his service? Tuesday 7/3/06
if it is then our condolences to the Baptist family and the VW fraternity .
A good man who has helped me out more than once, God bless you Francis .

W

Amort

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 10:22 am

Leading Hand

Joined: 06 Feb 2005 Posts: 129 Location: Volkswagenhaus

My deepest sympathy to the Baptist Family, " Francis, your enthusiasm will pass on and will inpire others forever"

VW18

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:22 pm

Leading Hand

Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 130

I am very sad to heard that Francis has passing. It is a sad loss for Baptist family and the VW scene. A nice man that was always around the NZ VW Scene and brightened up the club meeting with his high quality finished VWs that was very proud by every VW nuts. Francis was helped me for few new parts and advise for the teachnical as well. Whenever he came pass Rotorua he was always called in to my place, now that all became a memory.....very sad will be missed by us.

_________________
VW Player.

L633

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:52 pm

Nutter

Joined: 01 Aug 2005 Posts: 587

yes this is very sad news...i had no idea until now Crying or Very sad

i never met him, but the effort he put into his cars has inspired me with my own project.

earlybus

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 3:12 pm

Apprentice Nut Joined: 29 Nov 2004 Posts: 34 Location: Henderson Waitakere City

whitehouse wrote:

Funeral arrangements

The cortege will be leaving from Morrison's Funeral Directors, 239 Lincoln Road, Henderson at 10-00 am sharp.

Francis' vehicles will lead the cortege and the family have invited all VW club members to drive their VW in the cortege to Schnapper Rock for the service.

At the completion of the service we have all been invited back to Francis and Vicky's for a BBQ.

John Atkinson

Just for everyones info- the funeral is going to be held this Thursday 9/03/2006.

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:32 pm

Addicted Nut

Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 1435 Location: at the old volks home

i met him at Das Alpen. what a man!

i knew had been battling for awhile, but after seeing him in hanmer i assumed he was on the up, he just looked so invigorated and was always smiling.

a very sad day for veedubbers all over the world.

and for Francis, good luck mate, i hope you get dropped off at the pearly gates in a gold plated barndoor.

_________________
Im such a VW addict, when i finish welding, i dont sweep the floor, i scrape it into lines and snort it.

AdrianH

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:09 pm

Nutter

Joined: 07 Jul 2004 Posts: 994 Location: Mangere Hard

Man this is sad news. I knew Francis reasonably well, really hard to believe he has left us. My condolences to his family.

Macca_nzl

Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 11:24 pm

A-Grade Nutter

Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 336 Location: Still in Melbourne .... This OE is gonna take awhile

Hard to beleive that he is gone, Saw him recently at Das Alpine.
He was a major inspiration for me to get my bus done and not to give up.

This is a great loss to the VW community both nationaly and internationaly.
Best wishes and condolences to his Family.

Catcha later man.

Mac

_________________
405771 - Gotta love that November rain

L311 & L312 - PGSG

mrsherbie

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 2:36 am

Apprentice Nut Joined: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 82 Location: Hampshire UK

Our vw hobby universe is our warm friendly haven from daily life, where our biggest issues are trivialities such as correct paint colour or which wheels.
But then the outside world comes crashing in uninvited.

Across the pond oceans away many of us are deeply saddened by the loss of a man who had the rare and special gift of making many laugh with him and his infectious enthusiasm!

The NZ VW scene will never be the same again. Nor the International scene for many of us.
Few people gain such respect or have such an impact. In our lifetimes we will only meet a couple of these rare magic people, if we are lucky.

Every time we open the sunroof or drive the Kab we will pause and smile with Francis.

So wish we could be there on Thursday to say Goodbye in style.

We'll really miss you Mr Sunshine.

x

BBT en-route to Bad Camberg 2003

All times are GMT + 12 Hours

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