Music Festival to honor fallen Murphy MS teacher

A music festival in memory of a Morgan Hill Unified School District science teacher who died tragically in a car accident on her way to school will take place this Saturday, Aug. 5 at the Corralitos Community Center, located at 35 Browns Valley Road in Corralitos.
The Mary Francis Memorial Fund Music Festival, which will begin at noon with a lineup that includes The Billy Martini Show, Tsunami Band, Breeze Babes and Jenny Garcia, will benefit local middle school science programs, according to the event flyer.
Mary Francis was a dedicated middle school science teacher and spent more than 25 years sharing her passion with young minds in school districts within Monterey, San Benito and Santa Clara counties.
On Jan. 20, the 61-year-old, seventh grade science teacher at Martin Murphy Middle School died when the vehicle she was driving collided with a fallen tree “in the early morning darkness, during the rainstorm,” according to district staff. Francis, of Monterey, was traveling on a road near her home in a heavily forested area at the time of the fatal accident.
Also in her honor, daughter Linda Francis has established the Mary Francis Memorial Fund, a non-profit organization to help fund local middle school science programs. The Aug. 5 event is the first of such fundraisers.
Tickets, which are $25 for adults with children 12 under free, can be purchased or donations made at maryfrancismemorialfund.org. Tickets will also be sold at the door.
Saturday’s festival under the Redwoods will include BBQ chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs and water. Guests are also invited to bring their own dishes and refreshments to share.