Marguerite Whitehead's Obituary
Marguerite Anna Treuthardt Whitehead, affectionately known as Nellie to her family and friends, was born August 15, 1906, to Louise Josephine Bouffard Treuthardt and Arnold Charles Treuthardt in Georgetown, Williamson County, Texas. She had one brother, John Louis Treuthardt, and two sisters, Lillie Mae Elizabeth Treuthardt Cooper and Ida Louise Treuthardt Cooper. The family lived on the Treuthardt family farm on the North San Gabriel River and her father owned a machine shop.
Marguerite attended Georgetown schools and graduated from Georgetown High School in 1925. During her junior year in high school a group of her friends became envious of the senior class because they celebrated "senior day" and were able to miss school for a day. They declared one day as "junior day." One of the classmates borrowed his father's farm truck and the whole class went to Austin for the day. Their first stop was the capitol which they toured and knocked on the door of the Governor's Office. Governor Miriam A. "Ma" Ferguson answered the door and spent a few minutes visiting with the class. At the end of the visit she told the girls that she did not approve of them wearing trousers! The group continued on to Barton Springs for a swim and picnic. When she returned home the principal of the school called her and told her that the class would be required to come to school on Saturday to make up the work they had missed that day! She said that was the end of "junior day" at Georgetown High School!
After graduation Marguerite attended Nixon Clay Business School in Austin, Texas, and worked in both insurance and banking. She was a career woman for years and when the banks failed she was the only employee retained to examine the banks with a government representative for that region of Texas.
In 1933 she married Roy Laughton Whitehead and they moved to Longview, Texas, after he completed his law degree from the University of Texas. She never worked outside the home after that. R. L. and Marguerite had two children, Barbara Ann Whitehead and Roy Laughton Whitehead, Jr. Marguerite and R. L. were both raised in the Presbyterian Church and they joined First Presbyterian Church in Longview where they were loyal members. She continued to study the Bible throughout her entire life and read the complete Bible in 2004 and 2005.
On New Year's Eve of 1999 Marguerite celebrated with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She told them stories of living almost the entire twentieth century and used as the basis of her talk with them, transportation. She remembered walking everywhere, then having a mule, then a buggy and later a wagon. She remembered the first car in town and the day an airplane landed in their field. She also recalled that she was privileged to attend the launch of Apollo 17.
Marguerite was a talented seamstress. She enjoyed making clothing, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, tatting, and cross-stitch. She volunteered for Project Linus and crocheted 249 blankets for premature babies that are distributed to local hospitals by Linus. She loved working in her yard and had a talent for starting new plants. She was an avid fisherwoman and when the weather was favorable she would be on Lake Cherokee fishing with her friends. Onr of her favorite hobbies was working crossword puzzles every day in ink. She was a Texas Ranger fan and watched all their games. She enjoyed attending a Ranger game each year.
Marguerite was very proud of her family and dedicated her life to her husband and children. In 1958 Barbara married Donald Joe Kiser and they had three children, Donald Joe, Jr married Mary Beth Harvey, Sara Elizabeth married Jerry Covington, and Julie Ann married Malcolm Brett McLeod. In 1963 Laughton married Martha Frances Hess and they have three children, Roy Laughton, III married Elizabeth Ann Calvert, George Stewart married Dandre Dawn Bettis, and Anna Katherine. There are twelve great grandchildren: Anna Barbara and Sara Elizabeth Covington, Jack Cullen and Henry Davis Kiser, Malcolm Thomas McLeod, and John Kirby McLeod, Roy Laughton IV, Andrew Calvert , and Ellen Frances Whitehead, Brooks Lee, Anna Elinor Whitehead, and Sally Stewart Whitehead.
A celebration of the life of Marguerite Whitehead will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, July 12 at First Presbyterian Church, Longview, under the direction of Rader Funeral Home, Longview. The family will receive visitors from 4-6pm Friday, July 11, at NK26 Lake Cherokee, Longview, Texas.
In lieu of flowers the family requests a donation to Project Linus, Longview/Tyler Chapter, P. O. Box 5621, Bloomington, Il. 61702 or Longview Interfaith Hospitality Network, 700 North Edith Street, Longview, Texas 75601.
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