Francis "Fella" Raymond

Francis “Fella” Raymond was born October 4, 1971, in Saint Lucia, to Frederick Raymond and Marcelline (Alexander) Augusta. He attended grade school in St. Lucia and graduated from St. Joseph Catholic High School in 1987. Francis attended Job Corps in Louisville, KY, and graduated with the class of 1996.

Francis moved to Iowa in July of 2008. On May 23, 2015, he was united in marriage to Melissa (Christensen) in Corley, Iowa. The two shared a deep love for one another and built a blended family together that includes four children.

Francis was a mechanic for Swift Transportation in Virginia. He worked all over the United States doing iron work for Reich Installation and later worked as a Diesel Mechanic for Menards for 15 years until his health declined.

He enjoyed cooking—especially trying exotic foods—playing pool, and hosting friends and family, often preparing meals for them. Francis was a hardworking man and a very supportive father. He also loved traveling to visit family.

Francis passed away Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Harlan, Iowa, at the age of 54 years. Francis was preceded in death by his mother, Marcelline Augusta; stepfather, Joseph Augusta; and father-in-law, Michael Christensen.

He is survived by his wife, Melissa Raymond of Harlan; children: Malik Raymond of Houston, TX, Ethan Christensen, Eden Raymond, and Evelyn Raymond, all of Harlan; grandson, Grayson Christensen; father, Frederick (Zenia) Raymond of St. Croix; siblings: Dymphna Augusta of St. Lucia, Barnaby Augusta of St. Lucia, Ronald (Sherille) Raymond of New Jersey, Yvette (Anthony) Cherry of Georgia, Nancy (Gary) Harlock of Georgia, Bill (Yolanda) Raymond of Texas, Phill Raymond of New York, and Jason Raymond of New York; mother-in-law, June Christensen of Harlan; sisters-in-law, Holly Brockman of Harlan and Chrissy Christensen of Walnut; along with extended family members and friends.

Visitation with the family greeting friends will be held on Friday, March 13, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with a time to share memories beginning at 7:00 p.m., all at Heartland Funeral Home in Harlan. A Funeral Liturgy will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at Heartland Funeral Home in Harlan. Burial will be held in the Harlan Cemetery.