Frances Marjean McKinney Smith Lear, age 81, longtime resident of Oak Bluffs, died on Jan. 20, 2024, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Jean, as she was known, was born to Rudolph and Lucile Howell of Gulf Hammock, Fla., in 1942. Through her school years she attended over 10 schools, due to the nature of her dad’s profession. With each move, Jean acquired new school friends due to her pleasant and caring demeanor, personality traits that stayed with her through her entire life, enabling her to have long-lasting friendships with past schoolmates and Island friends.
In 1960, Jean married Kermit McKinney, and went on to raise eight children, four boys and four girls. After the death of Kermit due to ALS, Jean would marry Scott Smith, and cared for him through his medical needs until his death. Then in 2016, Jean married Ulysses J. Lear of School Street in Oak Bluffs.
Ulysses and Jean had many pleasant memories together, such as listening to music, watching the many types of birds that flew in to see them, and attending the Kingdom Hall meetings each week.
Jean was a woman of strong faith, and was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1969. She would often speak to others of the Bible’s promises of future blessings for the Earth and its inhabitants.
She is survived by her husband, Ulysses; her two brothers, Rudolph Howell and Barry Howell; and her seven remaining children. On the Island is her son Charles McKinney, his wife April, and daughter Emily. Off-Island are her sons Richard of Virginia, Michael of Virginia, and Kermit of Utah, and all their families. Also off-Island are her daughters Cindy of Georgia, Sheila of Georgia, and Cheryl of South Carolina, and all of their families. Jean is also survived by step-daughter Pam Hodge of California; and by 23 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by husbands Kermit, and Scott, and by daughter Jacqueline Bonnecarrie.
Jean’s memorial service will be held on Feb. 24 at 2 pm at the Kingdom Hall, 48 State Road in West Tisbury.
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