Francis C. Westrick, age 88, died at 7:35 A:M Wednesday, April 1, 2009 in the Defiance Area Hospice Center. He was born March 25, 1921, the son of the late Jacob and Anna (Aspacher) Westrick in Defiance, Oh. In 1946 he married Magdalene Krejcik of Cleveland, who survives in Defiance. He attended St. Michael's Catholic and St. John's Catholic Elementary Schools and Tiffin Township High School, all in Defiance County. He attended one year at Ohio State University and then two years at the University of Wisconsin Agricultural Short Course. In 1944 he was inducted into the Army and trained at Camp Blanding, Florida, before going overseas in 1945 to the European Theater where he was wounded and received the Purple Heart. After the war he returned to Ohio State and graduated with a degree in Agriculture in 1949. In 1969 he earned a Masters Degree from Michigan State University. In the 37 years prior to retirement he operated a dairy farm and was a small farm owner for 53 years while working various public service jobs. He worked 14 years with the Soil Conservation Service in Williams County and later became 4-H Agent and County Planner, also in Williams County. In 1970 he became the first full time Director of the Williams Co. Regional Planning Commission. He was next employed as the first Director of the Fulton Co. Regional Planning Commission for a year. From 1973 to 1979 he was Director of the Defiance County Regional Planning Commission. Following that he was employed at Auglaize Village and ended his public career with the Defiance Red Cross. Always interested in the history of Defiance county, he and his wife were active in programs at Auglaize Village from 1976 to 1982. As a member of the Friends of the Defiance Public Library he helped develop and write scripts for the yearly "Roots Program" for many years between 1980 and 1995. His memberships included Marysdale Immaculate Conception Catholic Church for 53 years where he was a Councilman, Lector, Eucharistic Minister and Credit Union officer. Since 2004 he has been a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Defiance where he continued to be active in several ministries. He held life memberships in the V.F.W. Post #3360 and the Defiance #36 D.A.V. and was a past member of the Defiance Rotary Club and the Eagles. He was a 55 year member of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and a member of the Ohio State Historical and Defiance County Historical Societies. He was a 4-H Club member and a life long supporter of 4-H having twice received the coveted plaque for Meritorious service to 4-H in Defiance County. He was a member of the Ohio State Dairy Cattle Judging Team and did judging at county fairs in Defiance, Williams and Fulton Counties. He was a life member of the National and Ohio Holstein Associations and a member and past President of the Defiance-Paulding Holstein Club. He was a member of the State Board of the Ohio Friends of the Library and was the second President after the Defiance Friends of the Library was organized. He was a Red Cross member for 12 years and at his retirement in 1986 was the Director of the Defiance County Red Cross Chapter. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Magdalene, and children, JoAnne (Gary) Barton of Defiance, Oh. Edward of Los Angeles, Ca. Michael of Willoughby, Oh. Karla (Mike) Love of Battle Creek, Mi. Mark of Defiance, Oh. and Jean (Sam) Gully of Jacksonville, NC. and his granddaughters, Julie Barton, Linda Gully, Sarah Hall and Anna Westrick. He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers: John, Vincent, Bernard and Quintin and five sisters Corrine Boff, Sister Francis de Sales, Julia Ryder, Dorothy Swary and Lucille Kime. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 A:M Monday, April 6, at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Officiating will be Father Tim Kummerer. Visitation will be from 2-8 Sunday in the Lawson-Roessner Funeral Home where a vigil service will be conducted at 7:00. Burial will be in Marysdale Cemetery where V.F.W. Post #3360 will conduct military graveside rites. Suggested memorials are to Hospice-the Caring Way of Defiance or to Defiance Catholic School. Condolences may be left at www.lawsonroessner.com