Jamie Lynn McElfresh

 Jamie Lynn Markowich-McElfresh was born June 5, 1970 in Fort Lauderdale Florida. She is the daughter of Jerry and Mary Markowich, and the sister of Lori Jean (Rick) Grimes and Craig Gerald (Michelle) Markowich and the mother of Garnette Lee Adele McElfresh. She has many aunts, uncles, and cousins spread across the United States.

 Jerry was in Atlanta when early signs came as Mom Mary neared the birth of Jamie. Jerry's associate and his wife (Bob and Donna Finch) pitched in to assure Mary got to the hospital in time for the birth. Lori and Craig were taken care of as the event neared.

 Jamie spent her first few years in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Next came Pleasantville, New York where she completed second grade, followed by The Woodlands, Texas where she started third grade and finished by graduating from McCullough High School.

 Jamie learned to play the guitar and enjoyed singing at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in The Woodlands. She also sang in the High School Choir. Her after school activities generally amounted to horses! She rode with Ellen Bushager and could be found around the Hunter Jumper Events.

 Jamie's dreams included having her very own place to raise horses, and produce a “horse” magazine.

 She attended Sam Houston State University for a long semester and then East Texas State University. During the summer break Grandfather and Grandmother Evans drove her to a dude ranch in Colorado. Jamie spent the summer playing with the horses and never returned to live with Mom and Dad.

 Jamie worked and established herself as a resident of Colorado, continued her education and graduated from Western Colorado University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication and Theater Arts. She wanted to work in television. She got a job where she wrote and directed the early morning news in Grand Junction, Colorado.

 Her first taste of the broadcast business, however, was in Crested Butte, Colorado where she volunteered as the Saturday morning broadcaster. Jamie played the recordings she brought to the station, and announced the weather and news. A sample bit would go something like, “Hey gals and guys, it's snowing, everybody to the slopes”. She also cleaned rooms at the local motel for real money.

 She met Ken McElfresh in 1998. They married at the Golf Club in March 1999. Pastor Dave Markowich performed the service. On April 20, 2004 Garnette Lee Adele was born in Grand Junction, Colorado. Ken and Jamie were divorced some time later. Ken remained in Grand Junction and Jamie returned to Texas after extensive legal negotiations.

 In 2004 Jamie and Del established them selves in Texas. Jamie worked in the broadcast department at Texas A&M University. This was followed by time spent in the former Homeland Security Department. Next for Jamie was time as financial coordinator at Pasadena Community College, followed by a position at Sam Houston State University.

 Jamie next took a position in Roanoke Virginia to work creating a partnership between Virginia Tech University and the Carillon Medical Group. Unfortunately, the ground work that supposedly was already done was not. Jamie did work with Virginia Tech Business School and was working in the Social Studies School as financial coordinator at the time of her death. Jamie learned what Social Studies is all about and really liked working with the people, and the head of the department, Dr, Jennifer Johnson.

 Jamie was creative and always was up for a challenge. She hoped to continue growing as she aged. She was in the process of moving to a new home in Christenburg Virginia when all this was going on. She had neuropathy and severe bruising from recent falls, which formed hematomas. Jamie was in and out of several medical facilities over the next few weeks. Her last stop was Carillon Memorial Hospital Roanoke. Jamie died as her organs failed on December 17, 2024.

 Jamie was funny, attractive, a risk taker, and a child of God. We ask that y'all pray for those who persevere and remain in our own life-time struggles.  A private family service has been planned for January 2025.

 Stories to share....

 Our home backed up to the Pleasantville elementary school. When Jamie was about four years old she got on her trike and got out of our backyard. When Mom went to check on her, the gate was open, and no Jamie in sight. When Mom got to the end of the driveway, she saw a trike disappear around the corner, When Mom caught up with her she asked Jamie, Where are you going? The answer – to school!

 When Jamie was 16 and had her Driver Learning Permit Jamie, Mom, and Dad were returning from College Station (we lived in The Woodlands) after a visit with Lori. Dad thought this was a good opportunity for Jamie to get some experience on country roads. At some point Mom (in the back seat) yelled for Jamie to turn right, And Jamie did. Fortunately we got into a farmers lot with no damage. Once we were settled down, Dad asked Jamie what she learned from this experience. Jamie responded, don't listen to Mom?

 Jamie learned to drive at Aunt Sue and Uncle Harry's place in Cliff, New Mexico. Harry showed Jamie how to engage the clutch and shift gears, and how to apply the brakes. There was a track around the property about half a mile long. Harry got Jamie started – about a couple hours later Jamie stopped the Jeep near the house and got out with a big grin on her face.