Margaret Wortham

Margaret Wortham, 78, passed away peacefully at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital – WNJ, in Sherman, Texas on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 after battling numerous illnesses over many years.

Margaret was born Aug. 22, 1934 in St. Joseph, Mo., to German immigrants. She spoke only German until she enrolled in school, where she learned English. She moved to Sherman in 1944 with her family when her father, George Witt, was transferred to Sherman by his employer, Quaker Oats. In Sherman she attended St. Joseph's Academy, which is now St. Mary's School, through ninth grade and graduated from Sherman High School. Shortly after graduation, she began working in the office at Quaker Oats, a position she held off and on until the early 1960s.

She married Paul Wortham of Tom Bean on Feb. 4, 1955 in El Paso, Texas where Paul was stationed in the Army. A short time later they moved to Pirmasens, Germany, where Paul was stationed. While living in Germany they took full advantage of the opportunity to travel all over Europe, sightseeing and visiting relatives. After they returned to Sherman, she resumed work at Quaker Oats for a few years before she began to raise her family. She served as home room mother for each of her children's classes and in seemingly any other volunteer position needed at St. Mary's School.

In the early 1970s she began attending East Texas State University in Commerce, commuting from Sherman while continuing to raise her family. After graduation from East Texas, she taught kindergarten at St. Mary's School for several years. After she stopped teaching, she began working on the cemetery committee at St. Mary's Church. She took several trips to Germany over the years and researched and wrote a book about her family in Germany going back several generations. She always enjoyed family birthday parties and other celebrations at her family's farm east of Sherman and eventually built a house at the farm. She was a lifelong member of St. Mary's Church in Sherman.

She is survived by her husband, Paul Wortham of Sherman; her son, Larry Wortham of Ida; son and daughter in law, Michael and Melissa Wortham of Dallas; daughter, Lisa Wortham of Flower Mound; grandchildren, Hassie and Witt Wortham of Dallas and Kevin, Brian and Zach Castillo of Flower Mound; sister and brother in law, Janet and John Raines of Denison; and nieces, Cathy, Cindy and Christy and their families.

Our family would like to thank Drs. Bradley Rue, David Davis, and Muqdad Zuriqat, all of the nurses and attendants that helped her during her numerous stays at Wilson N. Jones hospital, and all of her nurses and caregivers at Integracare and Homeinstead, especially Wendy Morgan.

A rosary service will be held at Waldo Funeral Home in Sherman on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2013 at 6 p.m. with a visitation following at 7 p.m. Graveside funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, 2013, at St. Mary's Cemetery in Sherman. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to St. Mary's School.

An online register may be signed at www.waldofuneralhome.com. Waldo Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.