Individual Details

"Oretha Jane Whitworth, age 93, of Coleman, formerly of Amarillo, died Wednesday evening, July 17, 1996 at Coleman Care Center. Services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Stevens Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Reed Justus officiating. Graveside services were 10 a.m. Monday at Llano Cemetery in Amarillo, under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home. Oretha Jane Whitworth was born August 9, 1902 in Eastland County, Texas, daughter of the late J. T. Cornelius and Celia Ulmer McCleskey. She moved to Kingsville in 1913 where she graduated from high school. She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Texas A & I in Kingsville and a Masters Degree in Education from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ilinois. Mrs. Whitworth was a speech and drama teacher, teaching in Kingsville from 1923-1927 and in Amarillo from 1927-1967. After moving to Amarillo, she met and married Noble N. Whitworth, a long-time Amarillo pharmacist, in 1940. She was a member of Polk Street United Methodist Church in Amarillo where she was active in the Gleaners Sunday School Class and the United Methodist Women. She helped organize Meals on Wheels in Amarillo and after moving to Coleman in 1981, organized Coleman Meals on Wheels. She was past president of Texas Speech Association, a former consulting editor for National Speech Teacher Magazine and was past district president of Texas Stale Teachers Association. In Coleman, she was a member of First United Methodist Church, Aldersgate Guild and the Nichols Sunday School Class. She was also a member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood. Survivors include nieces and nephews, including V. J. Horn of Coleman and Dr. Lynn C. Perkins of Fort Worth. She was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Hester Perkins Fox; three brothers, Percy L Cornelius, J. Max Cornelius and Willie Rex Cornelius. The family requests memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church of Coleman or Coleman County Medical Center." (Coleman Chronicle and Democrat-Voice, Coleman, Texas.)

(NOTE FROM JUDIA TERRY: As a point of interest, at the Sandie Centennial Square at Amarillo High School, there is a brick dedicated to Oretha and her many years of faithful service. This information is from a letter from her friend Lois at Christmas 1989.)

Birth	August 9, 1902	Plesant Grove, Eastland, Texas
Marriage	November 19, 1940	Abilene, Taylor County, Texas - Noble N. "Whit" Whitworth
Death	July 27, 1996	Coleman, Coleman County, Texas

Spouse

Noble N. "Whit" Whitworth (1898 - 1969)

Father	James Taylor Cornelius (1870 - 1945)
Mother	Celia Ulmer McCleskey (1869 - 1947)
Sibling	Hester Verona Cornelius (1893 - 1985)
Sibling	Percy Louis Cornelius (1898 - 1983)
Sibling	William Rex "Willie" Cornelius (1906 - 1958)
Sibling	James Max Cornelius (1910 - 1986)