A memorial service will be held there following his cremation, but Saturday many of his family members who live in the Midwest — including his three sisters, Waldene “Bunny” Graham and Fredda “Pudgy” Hollis, who both live in Dayton, and Pam Daniels, who lives in Xenia — gathered at Bunny’s home in Upper Dayton View to celebrate him. Their brother Dennis, who lives in Kentucky, joined them, as did some 40 other people, Bunny said.
“I had posters made up and pictures and we had a good time telling stories and laughing and remembering,” Bunny said.
There were a few tears, too, but there was no movie.
“We were all talking so we just kind of forgot about it,” Bunny said.
No wonder. France just had a bit part in that celebrated 1979 film — he played a minor character called Alcie Weeks — but in reality he was a bigger-than-life presence for them.
“He was my little BIG brother,” said Fredda, who like her two sisters was older than Doug.
And while he long had a starring role in their lives, the script wasn’t always a good one for him. Not once his football days ended.
There were problems with alcohol. He was convicted of manslaughter after a crash and was sentenced to a year in prison. Another incident with alcohol and driving landed him back in jail for a while.
“He did change after football and just now we’re seeing it might have been linked to the pounding he took in football,” Pam said.
Bunny agreed: “I watched that movie Concussion and I told my husband, ‘That’s my brother!’ That explains some of it. You start to wonder about the damage that was done.”
Pam said: “We’re hoping to have his brain checked for that because back when he played — and he was a lineman for several years (in the NFL) — they took a pounding every game. That could explain some of it.”
The brother they mostly remembered over the weekend was the guy who was Mister Everything at Colonel White — starring in football, wrestling, basketball and track and field.
Ohio State’s Woody Hayes wanted him to be a Buckeye so badly, the story goes, that he showed up at the state wrestling meet at St. John Arena where France was competing.
Pretty soon there was Woody, sitting at the edge of the mat, loudly coaching France to a title.
Once at OSU — where he was a tight end — it took France awhile to adjust to Hayes, but he soon became a star. The Los Angeles Rams then made him a first-round pick — the 20th player chosen overall — in the 1974 draft.
In so doing, France became part of a select group of just 16 players from the Miami Valley to be first-round picks in the NFL.
France played in two Pro Bowls, garnered All-Pro honors three times ( 1978, 1979 and 1980) and was named 1979 NFC Lineman of the Year. He started at tackle in the Rams’ 31-19 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XIV in the Rose Bowl.
He was an outspoken players’ union representative of the Rams, and after seven years with the team he joined the Houston Oilers for the 1983 season.
He played in 110 NFL games and started 87 as an offensive lineman.
While he was playing for the Rams he landed the part in North Dallas Forty and later had a couple of cameo roles in TV shows, including CHiPs.
After the NFL he was a high school coach briefly and then ran his own business.
His most serious alcohol problems occurred in the 1990s.
He relocated to Las Vegas where his brother Darryl now lives. He had health problems in recent years, especially heart issues. His sister Fredda said he nearly died two years ago on the operating table during a heart procedure.
He is also survived by his wife, Sandra Battles-France, son Jason France, daughters Kristin (Raymond) Bramlett and Keri France, three step-daughters — Dena Battles-Johnson, Dana Battles and Kenya Battles Hudson — and three grandchildren.
His three sisters here in the Miami Valley orchestrated Saturday’s family memorial.
“He was a really good guy who loved his family,” Pam said. “He was a good brother and I miss him terribly.”
Fredda agreed: “He loved people and we all loved him. That’s what Saturday was about. It was our way to say goodbye.”
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