Evanell Maude Whitworth

Evanell Maude Walker Whitworth, 95, of Winterset, Iowa, died Friday, January 27, 2017 at the Madison County Memorial Hospital in Winterset. She was 95 years old. Funeral services will be held 1:00 PM Tuesday, January 31, 2017, at the First United Methodist Church in Winterset with Rev. Dr. Ronald Yarnell officiating. Burial will be in the Moon Cemetery at Macksburg, Iowa. Born in a farmhouse outside Barnard, Missouri, on November 20, 1921, Evanell spent her younger years on farms around Barnard. She was the last of six children born to Wilson Douglas (Doug) and Effie May (Neely) Walker. From her earliest years, Evanell wanted to be a teacher. She attended Horace Mann High School in Maryville, Missouri, then college at Northwest Missouri State Teacher’s College, now called Northwest Missouri State University, in Maryville. She taught school during the falls and springs, taking college classes during the summers. It took her 12 years to complete her BS degree. Evanell went on the teach for 37 years, beginning in a one-room country school north of Maryville and later in Macksburg and Winterset, Iowa. She met Arthur Whitworth on a blind date while attending college. They were married on June 12, 1951, in Maryville. In 2016, they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. They moved to the Macksburg, IA area around 1951 and in 1958 moved to Winterset. Evanell had taught many years for the Winterset Community School District. She had been a member of the First United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Eastern Star, and Pythian Sisters. She enjoyed reading, word search puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, and her family. Evanell is survived by her two daughters, Ilene W. Devlin of San Antonio, TX and Elaine Hamilton of Drexel, MO; her three grandchildren, Erica Price of Tecumseh, KS, Amanda Shore of Shawnee, KS, and Crystal Buckingham of Olathe, KS; and her grandsons-in-law, Chad Price, Mark Shore, and Jeff Buckingham. In addition, Evanell has six great grandchildren, Christian and Cameron Price, Josie and Mason Shore, and Lauren and Jonathan Buckingham. She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur Whitworth, on November 27, 2016; parents, Doug and Effie Walker; her infant sister, Mary Fern; and her brothers and sisters-in-law, Roy and Elizabeth Walker, John and Elnora Walker, Merle and Dorothy Walker, and Orla and Ruby Walker. Visitation will be Monday from noon to 8 PM at McCalley-Collins Funeral Home with family receiving friends from 5 to 7 PM. Memorials given to the family will be directed to First United Methodist Church or Lillard-Miller Scholarship Fund. Funeral arrangements are being handled by McCalley-Collins Funeral Home in Winterset. Online condolences may be left at www.mccalleyfuneralhome.com.