Edna Disney (née Francis) was the wife of Roy O. Disney, co-founder of The Walt Disney Company, who was known as a close confidante of the Disney brothers as one of those discreet figures who, behind the scenes, helped establish their legacy.
Edna was born in the heart of Kansas, in Reece. Her family were among the first pioneers to settle in the region. Her father's job as a railroad worker had them move around a lot until finally settling down in Kansas City. At age 13, Edna was forced to leave school to help support her family as a saleswoman and later newspapers, such as the Kansas City Times in the 1910s.
Her brother Mitch introduced Edna to Roy Disney, who worked with him at the First National Bank, around 1911. They hit it off immediately and later became engaged. She was liked by Flora, Elias, and a then ten-year-old Walt Disney, who accompanied the couple on several dates and observed Walt's passion for animation and Roy's unwavering financial support. However, their engagement was postponed when the U.S. entered World War I with Roy enlisting in the navy and serving in Europe. When Roy returned, he contracted tuberculosis and recuperated at military hospitals in New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Edna stayed in Missouri with Walt to support in him his endeavors through funding his projects and providing occasional food and shelter until he decided to move to Los Angeles in 1923.
Edna worked in the brother's studio as an office worker and an inker in for shorts, like the Alice Comedies, Fiddling Around, Plane Crazy, and Steamboat Willie alongside Walt's wife, Lillian, Hazel Sewell, and Kathleen Dollard Smith. On April 11, 1925, Roy finally married Edna Francis in Disney's Uncle Robert's house on Kingswell Avenue in Hollywood, California. Following the birth of their son, Roy Edward Disney, Edna left her job at the studio but remained a close confidante to both brothers while also hosting parties, traveling the world with her husband, doting on her grandchildren, and offering opinions on the company's growth and film ideas as well as testing rides at Disneyland in their early stages. Following Walt's death in 1966, she remained at Roy's side when went forward with Walt Disney World Resort which opened on October 1, 1971. However, Roy passed away two months later.
Now a widow, Edna chose to continue forward and live life to the fullest. She continued to give her opinion on everything to the Board of Trustees at Disney, despite not being a member, as well as financing the Roy and Edna Disney Foundation, created by Roy and her in 1969, with the aim of promoting education and schooling. Despite her advanced age, she continued to drive her golden Cadillac to her hairdresser and the grocery store, and, in 1976, she was among the first to test Space Mountain under the horrified gaze of company president Donn Tatum.
In December 1984, Edna was taken in by the caregivers at St. James Hospital. Exhausted, she was struggling to speak and could no longer walk. She passed away peacefully on December 19. In 2003, Edna was posthumously named a Disney Legend alongside Lillian.
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