Becker-Rabon Funeral Home
Funeral service for Grace Ivy Whitworth will be held at First Baptist West on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. with Rev. Harold Gaches, Pastor officiating.
Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.
The service may be viewed by following the livestream link at firstbaptistwest.com or on the First Baptist West YouTube Channel.
Grace Ivy Whitworth, age 99, passed away on November 4, 2024, in Lawton. She was born in Bibury, Gloucestershire, England, on March 14, 1925, to Howard John and Florence Maud Pritchett. Bibury is a small village located in the Cotswolds Hills. The area is the most beautiful part of England and is on the border of Wales. She attended the Church of England School and graduated from Westwood located in Northleach. She played field hockey, tennis, cricket, and was an active Girl Guide. Grace was raised in the Church of England. She was christened and married by the same Vicar (preacher). She served in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) during World War II.
She met her husband, Homer Robert Whitworth in 1944, and they were married on August 10, 1945, in Bibury, Gloucestershire, England. She came to Oklahoma in 1946 as a war bride and stayed with her parents-in-law while her husband served in the occupational Army in Germany after World War II until he was rotated back to the United States. Grace was a miliary wife for 31 years. Grace and their children spent those years in Germany; Fort Bragg, NC; and always returning to Lawton, OK, where her husband served several tours at Fort Sill. Grace worked at McClellan's and Montgomery Ward in the fashion department, but her fondest job was working at Gilbert-Woods Pharmacy and Gift Store in Cache Road Square for 14 years where she was named "Employee of the Month" by the Lawton Chamber of Commerce in December 1982. When her husband developed cancer, she stopped work to care for him.
After his death in 1984, she worked as a volunteer at Southwestern Hospital from 1986 to 2013 and had 14,471 hours of service. She served as President of the Volunteers Auxiliary at Southwestern Hospital and was Treasurer. Grace was presented the Southwestern Hospital's First Humanitarian Award in 2000 as Volunteer of the Year. She is a member of First Baptist West Church. Prior to that, she attended Olivet Baptist Church where she was a Sunday School teacher in the Preschool. She was active in the local chapter of the Society of Military Widows serving in several positions (Hospitality Chairman and Chaplain) and attended several of their national conventions throughout the United States and Hawaii. She was recognized for outstanding Service as a Senior Volunteer with over 17 years of service from the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program of Lawton. She was a member of the Southwestern Classy Lasses Red Hatters and enjoyed traveling (23 states and the District of Columbia and 21 countries). She enjoyed reading and keeping up with the Royal Family back home in England.
She is survived by her daughter, Lavinia Anne Whitworth, Lawton, OK; and her son, Trevor John Whitworth and wife Linda Whitworth, Lawton, OK; four grandsons, John Harris II and wife, Lisa Harris, High Ridge, MO; James Harris and wife Jillian Harris, Jefferson City, MO; Cory Whitworth, Edmond, OK; and Adam Whitworth and wife Meridith Whitworth, Norman, OK; four great-grandchildren Margaux, Jack, and Paxton Harris of Jefferson City, MO; and Madeline Whitworth of Norman, OK.
She was preceded in death by her parents; Howard John and Florence Maud Pritchett; brother; Hector George Pritchett; husband, Homer Whitworth; and great-grandson T.J. Harris.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Building Fund at First Baptist West,7302 NW Cache Road, Lawton, OK 73505.
An online guest book and sympathy cards are available at www.beckerfuneral.com
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