Roy O. Disney, Walt’s older brother, proposed to Edna Francis by telegram while recovering from tuberculosis in California. The couple had been dating for years before World War I interrupted their plans. During Roy’s recovery, his brother Walt struggled financially with his animation studio and relied on Edna for meals and financial support. After moving to Hollywood, Roy joined Walt’s new studio and sent the marriage proposal telegram to Edna in Missouri. They married a year later at her uncle’s home in California. Both women, Edna and Lillian Bounds, helped ink and paint animation cels during the secretive creation of Mickey Mouse. Roy served as the company’s financial genius while Walt pursued creative ideas. After Walt’s death, Roy continued to lead the company until his own passing in 1971 shortly after Walt Disney World opened.
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