Mary Lurene French

Mrs. Lurene French, age 88, passed away on Tuesday March 27th, at Elmcroft Jackson, after a long battle with dementia. Her funeral service will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, March 31st, at George S. Smith and Sons Funeral Home, North Chapel, with Dr. Brent Lay officiating. Visitation will be held from 11 AM – 1 PM, preceding the service.

Mary Lurene French was born on November 22, 1929, in Mansfield, Henry County, Tennessee, to Clyde D. and Lena (Hastings) Forrest. She grew up in Paris, TN, and after graduating from E.W.Grove High School, opened Paris’ first record store, located in the historic Greystone Hotel. In 1949, she met Army corporal Max French when he came in to buy the record, “To Each His Own.” They married later that year. In Paris, Mrs. French worked for Paris Insurance Agency and for the concert pianists, Nelson and Neal. In 1973, after Rev. French’s retirement as a Baptist minister and a high school teacher, the family moved to Jackson. Mrs. French was a real estate agent in the Jackson area for many years. The Frenches were dedicated members of Englewood Baptist Church.

Mrs. French was preceded in death by her husband Rev. T. Max French; her parents, and a brother, Edwin Mardell Forrest. She is survived by daughters Janet Jarrard of Franklin, Debbie (Howard) Nichols, and Tere (Tom) Ervin, both of Jackson; grandchildren Bethany (Brian) Sharp of Franklin; Matthew (Beth) Tyson of Brentwood; Randa (Scott) Kilby of Somerville; and Kristen Kennedy Ross, Ryan Kennedy, Courtney (Andy) Azbill, and Jessica Nichols, all of Jackson; Tyler (Brooke) Ervin of Louisville, KY; Alex (Meredith) Ervin of Murfreesboro; and Claire Ervin of Jackson. Mrs. French also leaves seventeen great-grandchildren.

The family wishes to express sincere gratitude to the nurses and caregivers at Elmcroft, and to the staff of Avalon Hospice of Jackson for the professional, comforting, and compassionate care they provided Mrs. French.

Memorials for Mrs. French can be directed to the Childrens’ Ministry at Englewood Baptist Church (Jackson, TN); or to The Dementia Society of America, P.O. Box 600, Doylestown, PA, or online at www.DementiaSociety.org/donate.