Obituary for Robert McWhorter

Robert W. McWhorter

September 29, 1924 — September 28, 2023

Robert W. McWhorter was born September 29, 1924, and died one day before his 99th birthday.

Robert was born to Walter William and Florence Wright McWhorter on Sept. 29, 1924, in Okemah. His mother died when he was young and his aunt Ethel McWhorter Grimma Johnson raised he and his older brother Mac. Robert attended Roosevelt Elementary, Ponca City Junior High and was a graduate of Ponca City High School in 1942.

He married Virginia May Ormand in 1943 in Ponca City. Their son Robert Euguene “Bobby” was born in July of 1951.

Shortly after graduation, Robert proudly joined the military and served in both WWII and the Korean War. He was a proud veteran. Shortly after returning from overseas, Robert began his employment with Ponca Body and Paint in 1953 as a wrecker driver. Jay Warner sold the business to Terry Holloway in 2006, Robert continued his employment and worked there for 65 years, retiring on May 24, 2018.

Virginia died in April of 2003 after she and Robert had been married for nearly 60 years. Robert married Carmella “Sue” Walton in 2004. Sue died in 2009.

Robert was a devout Christian and was an elder and attended adult Sunday School at the First Christian Church in Ponca City until January of 2020 when his health declined. He then lived at Ponca City Nursing and Rehab. In addition to the caregivers at PCNR, he was cared for by Humanity Hospice workers; special to him were Kelsea Eckert, Becky Robertson and Chaplain Gary Wilburn. He loved to share his faith and cherished prayer with others. When ending a visit, he’d often asked to join hands and say the Lord’s prayer together. Robert was a collector of many things, proud of his family and country and a humble Christian.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents, wives Virginia and Sue, his son Bobby died in 2015 and his brother Mac in 2016.

Robert is survived by his sister-in-law Clara McWhorter of Oklahoma City, niece Diana Plum of Oklahoma City, and niece Deborah “Suzanne” of Houston, Texas and with her husband John, and nephew Philip and wife Rita of Largo, Florida. Robert’s other nephews are Tom Ormand and his wife Alliss of Edmond, Kevin Ormand and his wife Lori of Kildare, and his niece Sherry Buellesfeld and her husband Rick of Blackwell.

Visitation will be held at Grace Memorial Chapel located at 2016 North 14th Street on Sunday, October 1 from 6-8pm.

Funeral Services will be held at the First Christian Church in Ponca City on Monday, October 2 at 2pm officiated by Rev. Steven Johnson and Chaplain Gary Wilburn. Interment will follow at the Newkirk Cemetery located north of Newkirk, OK. Funeral arrangements are being managed by Grace Memorial Chapel. Pallbearers will be: Garrett Bowers, Terry Holloway, Mike Gurley, Randy Buellesfeld, Travis Hobaugh and KJ Holloway.

Online guest registry is available at www.gracememorialchapel.net