Joan Hagins McWhorter

Article Last Updated; Wednesday, October 07, 2009 12:53AM

McWhorter

Durango resident Joan Hagins McWhorter died on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009. She was 76.

Mrs. McWhorter was born to Poet Leon and Elizabeth Hagins in Meadow, Texas, on June 19, 1933.

After graduating from high school in Spur, Texas, in 1950, she met and married John McWhorter in Lubbock, Texas, on Aug. 26, 1950. The couple lived in Texas until moving to Durango in 2007.

Mrs. McWhorter was an administrative assistant for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for years and ended her career as the executive officer of the Highland Lakes Board of Realtors in Texas.

The McWhorters enjoyed many years of square dancing and bowling together. Mrs. McWhorter also enjoyed sewing, crocheting and reading. Her family said she took great pride in caring for her husband and daughters.

Mrs. McWhorter is survived by her husband of 59 years, John McWhorter, of Durango; daughters Diana Engel of Durango and Janice McWhorter of Lubbock, Texas; sisters Joycie Parker of Lubbock and Dolly Blair of Cleburne, Texas; three grandsons; and six great-grandchildren.

Cremation will occur. A small private memorial service will be held at 5:30 p.m. today, Oct. 7, 2009, at the Mercy Regional Medical Center Chapel.

A memorial service will be held at Idalou Cemetery in Idalou, Texas, on Friday, Oct. 9, 2009. Another memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, at Chapel of the Hills Baptist Church in Buchanan Dam, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Hospice of Mercy, 1 Mercado St., Suite 270, Durango, CO 81301; or Cure PSP, Society for Supranuclear Palsy at www.curepsp.org.