Elva Jean Franks-Medaris

Elva Jean Franks-Medaris was born December 23, 1927, to Rulon Reed Hatch and Elva Rosella Bradberry in Lordsburg, New Mexico. She passed away at home at the age of 93 in Roswell, New Mexico.

Jean retired from Mountain Bell telephone company after 35 years of service, but her true passion was genealogy. At the age of 17, her grandmother taught her the basics of interviewing and collecting supportive information to create her family tree. Over her lifetime, she mentored thousands of individuals seeking to grow and record their own family trees.

Jean is survived by her only living sibling, J. Brent Hatch of Arizona, and her only daughter, L. Kathleen Shaw of Roswell, New Mexico. Michelle R. Shaw of New Mexico and Melissa R. Shaw of Colorado are her only grandchildren. The great grandchildren are Adam and Christopher Estrada of Colorado, Tatiana Chappell of Virginia, Brittany Thigpen of New Mexico, Arron and Mykala Johnson of Texas. Great great grandchildren are Noah and Amelia Chappell of Virginia and Cody Estrada of Colorado.

Public viewing will be held Tuesday, June 29, 6:00 to 8:00 pm at LaGrone Funeral Chapel. Private family services will be held in Roswell, New Mexico.

The family would like to thank those who played an important part in her life; for their kindness, generosity, and love, and to those helpers who were a part of her end-of-life experience.