Anne E. Chaffin

Anne Elliott Chaffin, 97, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, teacher and loyal friend went to be with the Lord on Thursday, November 7, 2024. Anne was born in Washington, D.C. on October 10, 1927, to Col. Lowell A. Elliott and Marion Tyler Elliott. Anne was the youngest of five children and the only daughter. Anne attended Sargent College and Boston College for her undergraduate degree in Physical Education and achieved her master's degree in Elementary Education from Texas Tech University. She spent her early years after graduation teaching physical education in Greenwich, Connecticut. Due to her love of travel, at 25 she left teaching to become a service club director at officer's clubs on military bases, traveling through Europe, Holland and Germany among other countries. She ended up at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas, where she met and married the love of her life, Gerald "Max" Chaffin on September 15, 1956. Max was in the Army, so Anne followed him to Ranger School in Alabama and to Ft. Monroe Virginia, where the first of her three children, Kelly was born. Their next child, John was born in Ft. Meade, Maryland. After John was born, Max left the military and they moved to Texas to care for his mother. Anne's third child, Katrina was born in Post, Texas.

After moving to Texas, Anne continued her teaching career at Southland Public Schools in 1964 and taught third grade there for over 30 years. She also tutored and taught English as a Second Language at South Plains College, Lubbock, and at New Mexico Junior College after moving to Hobbs, NM in 1999. Her teaching career spanned over 54 years, with Anne finally retiring at 89. She was an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma, First Presbyterian Church in Hobbs and the Retired Teachers Association. Anne loved to travel, and enjoyed trips to China, Hong Kong, Russia, a cruise of the Greek isles, India, an African safari, New Zealand, Australia, Alaska and even a trip to Antarctica at the age of 84. She loved going to family reunions and traveling in the RV with David and Kelly. She loved dachshunds, owning 8 dachshunds over her lifetime.

Anne is survived by her three children, Kelly Parsons and husband, David; John Chaffin and wife, Lisa; Katrina Smith and husband, Billy; eight grandchildren: Chance Chaffin, D'Lya Cockrell, Cragg Parsons, Brandon Chaffin, Brent Chaffin, Chad Smith, Levi Smith, Kyli Leal; and fifteen great grandchildren: Ladan, Ibri, Judah; Payton, Cade, Garrett, Cooper, Katelyn, Jayden, Addie, Brianna, Ryan, Leo, Gerald, and Ash; as well as her favorite dachshund, Hahns, and her Delta Kappa Gamma sorority sisters. Anne was proceeded in death by her husband, Max, her four brothers, and her parents.

In lieu of flowers, Anne requested donations to the Salvation Army.