Doris F. Jarrett

Greensboro, NC - Meridis "Doris" Franquiz Jarrett, age 94 Longtime Bluefield resident and widow of former Mercer County Circuit Judge Howard M. Jarrett died March 20th at Heritage Greens nursing home in Greensboro, NC from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. Born May 2, 1920 in Juncos, Puerto Rico, Doris was the youngest child of Eloy Franquiz and Fermina Velasquez Franquiz. She moved with her family to New York City as a young child, and after completing public high school in Manhattan, she received a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from West Virginia University in 1942. She returned to New York to work for the U.S. Office of Censorship. Being bilingual, she reviewed Spanish communications entering and leaving the United States to determine whether they contained national security information. In 1943 she married a young Bluefield lawyer, Howard Jarrett, whom she met while a student at WVU. A devoted, family-centered mother, Doris settled in Bluefield and raised five children. Following the death of her husband, longtime Mercer Circuit Judge Howard Jarrett, she moved to the Washington, DC area to be near several of her children. In 2007, she moved to the Heritage Greens assisted living facility in Greensboro, NC. Doris is preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two brothers, Elby and Joe Franquiz; three sisters; Felicia Menaker, Gloria Taylor, and Aida Angel; and one grandson, Adam Marshall Jarrett. Doris is survived by five children who cherish her memory: H. Marshall Jarrett and wife Bunny Jarrett of Falls Church VA, Keith B. Jarrett and wife Margaret Montagnino Jarrett of Rockport MA and St. Petersburg FL, Christopher Lee "Kip" Jarrett of Silver Spring MD, Lisa Beth Jarrett and husband Achille Tedesco of Potomac MD, and Cathy Lynn Jarrett and Jay Amerson of Greensboro NC; nine grandchildren: Joshua Jarrett of Seattle WA, Kelsey Jarrett of Washington DC, Ben Jarrett and Jay Jarrett of Rockport MA, Treeve Jarrett Currie of Quincy MA, Caitlin Currie of Vienna VA, Anthony Tedesco of Durham NC, Zachary Lampert of Elkton MD and Beth Lampert of Greensboro NC; and five great grandchildren. The family would like to extend their appreciation to Doris’ loving and faithful caretaker Linda Jones, who cared for Doris for many years and offered unwavering support as her health declined. Visitation will be held 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Friday, March 27, 2015 at the Mercer Funeral Home in Bluefield, WV. The funeral services will be conducted at the Mercer Funeral Home at 11:00 am, Saturday, March 28, 2015. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Mercer County Animal Shelter, 961 Shelter Rd, Princeton, WV 24701 or SEEC (Seeking Equality, Empowerment, and Community for people with Developmental Disabilities), 8905 Fairfield Road, Suite 300, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those wishing to share memories or e-mail condolences may do so by visiting www.mercerfuneralhome.com Mercer Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the family of Doris Jarrett.

Doris F. Jarrett

May 2, 1920 - March 20, 2015