Elaine Margaret (Murphy) Mears, 86, of Norwich, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, at her home.

Elaine was born on Jan. 24, 1939, in Baltimore, Md., the third of nine children and the eldest daughter born to her parents, Joseph Murphy and Elizabeth (Mohan) Murphy.

When Elaine was 8 years old, her family moved to Queens Village, N.Y. Elaine attended all girls’ catholic schools for elementary at Our Lady of Lourds, and high school at Dominican Commercial, where she graduated with the class of 1957. She started working for Scandinavian Air Lines shortly after.

That summer, her older brother, David, was discharged from the Navy along with his buddy, Larry Mears, from Milan, Kan., and Larry flew back with David to New York where he met Elaine and it was love at first sight. After Larry flew home to Kansas to attend Ft. Hays State University, he sent for Elaine and she moved out to Hays and started work for Hays Music Company until they were married on Feb. 6, 1960, at St. Joseph Catholic Church.

They made their home in Hays until they moved to Indianapolis, Ind., where their son, Larry Ronald, was born in 1963. Later they moved to Gardner, Kan., and their daughter, Dianna Michelle, was born and two years later their son, James Robert. They moved to Garden City, then to Milan, Mayfield, and eventually settled in Argonia in the spring of 1971, where they remained and raised their family. Elaine was involved in everything for her kids and made sure they, and all the kids, in Argonia knew everything there was to know about Jesus and how to get to heaven. Good News Club was a major factor in that teaching.

After their kids were in high school, Elaine started working for a law firm in Wichita. She later worked at a government job near the airport in Wichita so she and Larry could have lunch together. When all three kids had graduated, they retired and moved to Warr Acres, Okla., where Larry worked for the FAA Academy and Elaine worked at another government job as well. After their final retirement in 1991, they moved back to Kansas and made their home in Wellington, until moving to their final home in Norwich in 1994 to be close to their grandchildren. Elaine made their home a place to rest and play and get away. Everyone was always welcome, and the love of Jesus was always shared.

Elaine was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Foster Larry Mears, her father and mother, Joseph and Elizabeth Murphy, and four brothers, Patrick, David, Terence and Stephen Murphy.

She is survived by her son, Larry Ronald Mears, wife Suzanne and grandchildren, Kelsey Mangner, Madiline Mangner, Trenton Foster Mears, Chloe Kay Mears, and great-granddaughter, Marley Lucinda Mears; daughter, Dianna Michelle(Shelly) Hewitt and husband Mitchell Hewitt and granddaughter Lauren Elaine (Hewitt) Howe, (Cody), and great-granddaughters, Violet Michelle and Clara Rose Howe, grandson, Mason Roy Hewitt (Ashley Smith), great-grandson Kiyan Dupree, and great-granddaughter Harper Ann Hewitt; and son, James Robert Mears, and canine Casey; one brother, Gerard Martin Murphy (Qiyun); three sisters, Ann Marie Digan, Mary Catherine Haugen (Craig) and Christine Murphy; and a few friends, I hope. (I’d say hundreds of loved ones and friends who loved her dearly!)

Elaine loved her family and church. She considered being a mother and wife the greatest privilege God ever blessed her with. She often was the last to leave church on Sunday, even though she understood the preacher needed to go home and have lunch and rest. The clock on the wall always moved too fast during the service. Bible reading and telling Bible stories was more exciting than any movie she ever saw, any book she ever read or adventure she ever had.

Her family and children were a gift of strength and joy. Playing games with all the grandchildren was a special treat, and having them overnight was a bonus. She was always proud of the nickname her daughter-in-law gave her as “the carnival grandma,” even though Suzanne and her daughter, Shelly, were glad they didn’t know all that they did. Chuckle...

Playing with her great-granddaughters was an added bonus in the past seven years. She still loved acting like the carnival grandma, but she took on the new role of silly, fun-loving Yaya.

Funeral services will be conduct at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 27, at the Norwich Baptist Church, Norwich, with Pastor Eric Taylor officiating. Interment will be in Milan Cemetery, Milan.

Ebersole Mortuary, Conway Springs is in charge of arrangements. Online guest book and condolences are available at www.ebersolemortuary.com.

Memorials have been established with the Norwich Baptist Church and Norwich EMS.