Mary Frances Medaris of Blue Ridge Texas died peacefully on Friday, April 8, 2016 in her daughter's home surrounded by her loving family. Frances (as everyone called her) was a youthful 93 years old and lived a full wonderful life with style and grace. Frances was born October 15, 1922 on the land in Blue Ridge that her grandfather cleared and settled. She graduated from McKinney High School and attended North Texas State Teachers College and taught school briefly.
She married E.E. "Red" Medaris in 1945, and together they moved to Presidio, Texas where Red was a Border Patrol Agent during WWII. While there, they welcomed their first child Cherry. After the War ended, they moved to Oak Cliff, Texas where their second daughter Bettina was born, and they lived until both daughters were grown. Frances was employed by Consolidated Freight Lines, a member of the cosmopolitan club, and attended Stevens Park Christian Church.
In 1975 Red was transferred to Temple, Texas as Regional Manager for Lone Star Gas Company. Frances and Red were active in the Temple community, and this is how Frances' second career as a hospital volunteer began. Once Red retired in 1985, they moved back to the old home place in Blue Ridge. Frances began volunteering in 1987 in the gift shop at McKinney Medical Center, where she was Volunteer of the Year in 2012 and faithfully continued until October 2015.
Frances was beautiful, stylish, spirited, and determined; a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and the matriarch of her family. She loved shopping, dancing, the company of good friends and Wednesday night Margaritas at San Miguel's. She cheated death twice and joined the Lord on her own terms.
She is survived by her daughters, Cherry & James Gray, Bettina & Scott Bosell; grandchildren, Michael & Sheri Mills, Jennifer & Glen Reed, Echo & Rob Sir Louis and Jeremy & Julie Gray; 12 great-grandchildren; brothers, Virgil and wife Voncil Stroup and Bill Stroup; sister, Betty Ann Vamvakas; and many nieces, nephews and many loyal and dear friends.
She is preceded in death by her loving husband, E.E. "Red" Medaris; her parents, John and Valerie Stroup; and brothers, John, Gene and James Stroup.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home Chapel in Allen, Texas. Interment will follow at Pecan Grove Cemetery in McKinney, Texas. The family will receive friends during a visitation on Monday evening, April 11, 2016 from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the funeral home.