Francisco (Frank) Leyva Calderón, age 54, passed away in Cedar City, UT, on May 21, 2022. Frank was born on November 20, 1967, in Mexico City. He was a graduate of Santa Paula High School in California and he went on from there to attend Ventura Community College, where he played football. He was later recruited to play football at Tabor College in Hillsboro, KS, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences and met his future wife, Donna (Rice) Calderón. They got married on August 1, 1992, in Hutchinson, KS, and started a family in Liberal, KS. Over the course of his career, he worked at DeKalb in Plains, KS, and then later Seaboard Foods and Qvest Sanitation in Guymon, OK, before moving to Lawrence, Kansas.
Frank was an avid fan and recreational player of many sports, but especially football, golf, and baseball. He enjoyed supporting his children at their various school activities, such as band concerts and sports matches. He had a passion for learning about anything and everything, and would constantly be researching the local history of Kansas and other places he has traveled to. He had an eclectic music taste and an even more eclectic sense of humor. His favorite movies included The Big Lebowski, the Godfather movies, A Christmas Story, and Little Miss Sunshine.
Francisco is survived by wife, Donna of Lawrence, KS; their children, Victoria, Rebecca, and Francisco A. Calderón; mother, Rosa Leyva Calderón of Porterville, CA; sisters, Norma Calderón Leyva-Gomez, Rocio Calderón Lamas, and Cristina Calderón; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and other loved ones and friends. He was preceded in death by his infant daughter, Dolores Esther Calderón; father, Francisco Sotelo Calderón; his grandparents, Carlos Calderón Ortiz, Maria Dolores Calderón, Marcelino Leyva Paniagua, and Maria Calderón Leyva; uncles, Octavio and Antonio Calderón and Roberto, Juan, and Jose Leyva; and aunt Emma Salas.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, May 29 at 3 pm at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home in Lawrence. The funeral service will be held on Monday, May 30 at 10 am. A memorial fund in Frank’s name is being set up for the Calderón Children’s Educational Fund. Donations can be sent in care of the funeral home, PO Box 1260, Lawrence, KS 66044.
Porterville, California- A visitation will be held at 4pm Wednesday, June 1, at Porterville Funeral & Cremation Center, Porterville, CA with a rosary to follow at 6pm.
Porterville, California- El velorio se llevará a cabo el miércoles 1 de junio a las
4:00 p.m. en Porterville Funeral & Cremation Center, Porterville, CA, seguido
de un rosario a las 6:00 p.m.