Jean Marie Morrow Moffett

Jean Marie Morrow Moffett, 90, passed away peacefully the morning of Saturday, July 2, 2022, at a hospice facility in Little Rock.

Jean was born in Tulsa, OK, on Nov. 29, 1931, the daughter of Clara Mae Bastian Morrow and Silas Edleman Morrow, and she grew up in Houston. She attended Rice University on a scholarship and graduated in 1953 with a degree in foreign languages. Upon graduation, she moved to Europe for a year, studying at the University of Geneva, traveling, and working. Thus began a lifelong love of traveling.

After returning from Europe, Jean married Dr. Thomas R. Moffett of Center, TX, in 1955, and they moved with the Air Force to various locations until settling in Shreveport, LA, in 1963, where they raised their family.

A lifelong Presbyterian, Jean loved to stay active gardening, sewing, doing elaborate counted cross-stitch needlework creations, and volunteering for years as a Girl Scout leader for her daughters’ troops. In the 1970s, she returned to college to earn her master’s degree in criminal justice, and she worked as a juvenile probation officer and then a child protection officer for years in Shreveport before retiring to Little Rock in 1995 to be near family. How she loved to talk about her “juvenile probation days!” After retiring, she volunteered expansively with Literacy Action of Central Arkansas, teaching English to new immigrants. She adored this volunteer work and was beloved by her many students. Jean was a prolific quilter, creating a huge number of eclectic quilts; and she traveled the globe to exotic locations in South America, Africa, India, and Asia.

Jean is survived by her children: Dr. Thomas R. Moffett Jr. and wife, Cathy, of Little Rock; Elizabeth Ann Moffett Benton, and husband, Dr. William Benton, of Little Rock; and Rev. Cheryl Moffett Lawrence and husband, Keith, of Durham, N.C.; her grandchildren: Jillian Moffett Pate, and husband, Dr. John “Pug” Pate of Little Rock; Madeline Moffett Porter, and husband, Tyler, of Conway, AR; Olivia Moffett of Little Rock; Emily Benton Ryan, and husband, Dr. Scott Ryan, of Little Rock; Caroline Benton Richardson, and husband, Capt. Dan Richardson, of West Point, N.Y.; Nathan Benton, and Dr. Mitchell Benton, both of Charleston, S.C.; Eric Lawrence, and wife, Rachel; and Dr. Katherine Lawrence Wallace, and husband, Jonathan, all of North Carolina; and great-grandchildren: George and Audrie Pate of Little Rock; Nathan, Jack, Henry, and Charlotte Ryan of Little Rock; Caitlin, Grant, Lily, and Anna Richardson of West Point; and Michelle and Zach Lawrence of North Carolina.  

A private family graveside service will be held at a later time. In lieu of flowers, Jean would have loved donations to be made in her memory to Literacy Action of Central Arkansas, 100 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR 72201.