Francine Rufo

Text: Francine Rufo is the only child of Francis J. Rufo and Pauline M. Kelley Rufo. Francis Rufo was born in Newton, Massachusetts on 11 August 1906. His parents were both born in Italy. His father, Antonio Rufo, was a mason.

Kelley, born 16 October 1910 in McElroy (Pawnee County) Oklahoma.

By the early 1930's, he was living in Washington State, where he met Pauline M.

They were married at 8 PM, Wednesday, 6 April 1932 by Father P. J. Ryan in Lewis County, WA. The couple lived in Hoquiam (Grays Harbor County) WA. By the time of the U. S.

Francine Rufo then meets and marries Bruce Kamba, born in 1933 and a Korean War veteran.

Census of 1940, Francis and Pauline Rufo, together with 6 year old daughter Francine, were living in Glendale, CA, at 616 North Kenwood. They owned their own home, valued at 3200 dollars. Francis Rufo, now age 33, had two years of high school education and was listed as a salesman of "aluminum ware". However, he had been out of work for 8 weeks and was seeking employment. Pauline Rufo, 29, with four years of high school, was employed in a 40 hour a week job as a telephone operator. The family lived about 7 miles away from the Warner Brothers studio.

Francis Rufo served in the military during the Second World War, from 20 September 1943 until 7 December, 1945. After the war's end, the family lived at 4005 West Verdugo, Burbank, CA, according to the 1946 Burbank city directory.

In the autumn of 1951 Francine Rufo, not quite 18, enrolled in Washington State College, Pullman, WA. She is listed as being from Nothridge, CA.

In 1952, the family had moved to 606 Maple, in Burbank, CA. Francis Rufo was now employed by Pacific Tel & Tel.

In February of the following year, 1953, Francine pledged the Sigma Sorority at Washington State.

She graduated in 1955.

Her photograph in the Chinook yearbook shows an attractive young woman whose blond hair is worn short in the style of 1955.

In 1956, now a 22 year old college graduate, Francine and her parents take a trip to Honolulu, arriving back in the United States aboard United Airlines flight 10 on October 25.

Biondini (born 5 November 1959 in Santa Barbara, CA. ) According to the Chicago Tribune Obituary Index, Diane M.

In September, 1963, Francine Rufo Kamba, now living in Van Nuys, CA, is awarded her master's degree from Valley State College (now California State Univerrsity, Northridge). Bruce Kamba and Francine had two children: Nancy M.

Kamba, born 9 March 1966 in Los Angeles County, CA and Diana J.

Nancy married Jeffrey Bray, born about 1968. Daughter Diane Kamba married Albert M.

Kamba, born 6 December 1969, also in Los Angeles County.

There Francis Rufo died 30 April 1979, age 72.

In 1992, Francine, now 59 years old, received copyrights for the words and music of two songs: " What If?" and "It's About Time". Later in life, Francine's parents lived in Northridge (Los Angeles County) California.

Kamba Biondini died on 29 February 1996, at age 26 years.

Pauline Rufo lived on until 9 August 2004, about two months short of her 94th birthday. Francine J. Rufo Kamba and husband Bruce Kamba eventually moved to Loveland (Larimer County) Colorado.

There, on 21 November 2007, Bruce died at age 77. He is buried in Foothills Gardens of Memory, Longmont (Boulder County), CO.

Living in Loveland, CO. Daughter Nancy M. Bray, now 46, lives in Simi Valley, CA. [November 2012]