Memorial Services Set For Mrs. J. L. French

Memorial servigps for civlc leader Mrs. Edna Cumming I French, 90, of 1202 Oakland, I widow of the late Rev. J. Leslie French, former pastor of Ithe First Presbyterian I Church, will be held at 3 p.m. I Sunday at the First Presbyterian Church. Mrs. French died Monday at University Hospital. Cremation has been made I through arrangements by the I Muehlig Funeral Chapel. Born on Feb. 1, 1881, in I Port Huron, Mrs. French I attended high school in that I city before coming to Ann I Arbor in 1898 to enroll at the 1 University. She was graduat1 ed from the U-M in 1902 and taught history at Port Huron High School for four years before she and the Rev. Mr. I French were married in 1906. Returning to Ann Arbor that year with her husband, she began a long career of pioneering work in ministry ;Bto U-M students. In 1909 she 'M organized the first independC-B ent women's residence at the I U-M, Westminister House. ■ She and her late husband I co-authored the book "The I Pioneer Years of the Universi■ ty Pastorate" which de■f scribed this work on the U-M f campus. After serving pastor■ ates in other parts of the ■ country from 1914 to 1942, the H c o u p 1 e returned t o Ann I Arbor. After returning here, I Mrs. French continued her I interest in students and camI pus affairs, helping organize many functions for foreign I students. ; She was a member of the f Faculty Women's Club, the I First Presbyterian Church, I International 'Neighbors, I W o m e n for International I Peace, a life member of the I Women's League, and Kappa I Delta. She was a volunteer I worker w i t h Indians, a n I authority on outstanding U-M I women graduates, and taught I Bible history for the Ann I Arbor Council of Churches. Recently she was the I ject of a prize-winning article I by former Ann Arbor News I reporter Robin Wright which I was published in The News I on Nov. 29, 1970. The article I on her advocacy of the sit-in I campaign sponsored by the I Black Economie Development I -League and Welfare Rights I ■Organization, won an APME I ■ award for features. Survivors include two sons, I I James C. French of Ann I I Arbor and Dr. David G. I I French of Bangkok, ThaiI land; a daughter, Mrs. John I G. (Elizabeth) Young of Ann I Arbor; 13 grandchildren and j eight great grandchildren. Memorial contributions I may be made to the James I Leslie French Scholarship ■1 Fund through the U-M ScholI arship Office. J