Cora "Corky" Stratton

Cora Ethel (Corky) Cain Stratton, was born on July 19, 1932 on a farm near Cameron, Milam County, Texas. She passed away peacefully in the presence of her daughter Sherilyn the early morning hours of Saturday July 3, 2021, at her home in Nacogdoches TX.

Her parents, Carl Kenneth Cain and Ethel Lillie Mabry Cain met while he was working on the railroad. They married and lived in the Salem area south of Cameron, where Corky began elementary school. Her family moved into Cameron when she was in first grade, but the school advanced her to second grade because she already knew everything in first grade.

Three of Corky’s sisters were also born in Cameron, Bennie Jean, Cornelia Florence, and Marta Ray.

Corky was 10 when the family moved to Calvert Texas, and the fifth and youngest sister, Beverly Ellen, was born there.

Their dad started work in the Calvert Oilfields for Hamman Oil Co., but broke both arms cranking a gas engine and had to quit the oil business. He and his wife then began a successful Cain Furniture business that all the girls and eventually all grandkids were all a part of through the years.

Her family were members of the First Baptist Church of Calvert, which to this day holds a special place in the hearts of all the family members, and still attend FBC when visiting Calvert. Corky and her sisters had fun growing up in Calvert, which was a late 1800’s cotton boom town, and still have many beautiful downtown buildings and restored Victorian homes. It is a very special town with a deep history. All of Corkys sister’s and familys have shared memories of many wonderful days, summers, holidays etc of time spent in Calvert.

Corkys dad moved to Texas from Petroleum West Virginia, working on the railroad. Not much is known about his family, but one summer about 1966, a family came in to the furniture store and asked if Carl Cain was there. It was his long lost brother and his family that drove from Florida to find him. It was a very memorable day.

Corkys mother had eight brothers and sisters. Corky is the oldest of all of her 20+ first cousins of the Mabry family. Her mothers’ youngest sister Aunt Judy (97) is still living in Abilene, and stayed in close contact with Corky. Corky spent a lot of summers with all of her Mabry cousins playing in Cameron, Calvert or Austin. She and her sisters continued to attend as many of the Mabry Family Reunions as possible, and even celebrated her 80th Birthday at the reunion in Smithville at Roy and Markie’s retreat.

All Five of the Cain Sisters graduated from Calvert High School, home of the Trojans. Corky and her sisters became well known as the 5 Cain Sisters from Calvert! After graduating from high school at the age of 15, Corky worked a year for the telephone company on the switchboard. At the age of 17, she enrolled and attended East Texas Baptist College in Marshall, TX, and studied history. There she met her eventual husband, Thomas (Tom) Tait Stratton, Jr. who was a star athlete in several sports. They married (eloped) on January 1, 1951 in Texarkana Arkansas. Corkys sisters all remember the day in June when she and Tom drove up in front of the house in Calvert in a new maroon or red oldsmobile, to let her parents know they were now married, and yes pregnant with her first child.

After graduating, Tom took a coaching position at Pine Tree High School in Longview Texas, where he coached several sports. Corky and Tom lived in Greggton and had 2 sons born there. The first, Tommy was born on December 10, 1951, and the second Kenny was born on January 9, 1953.

Tom left coaching and went to work for Humble Oil Bulk sales in Cameron and their third son, Stephen, was born there on December 7, 1954. Tom worked in Cameron and Corpus Christi for a couple of years before being relocated to the Humble Oil office in Baytown. However, he and Corky moved their family to the Spring Branch area of west Houston because of the favorable school system.

They moved into their brand new home on December 6, 1956. Their fourth child, a daughter, Sherilyn Kay Stratton, was born on June 11, 1958. All four of their children attended Hollibrook or Edgewood Elementary, Landrum Junior High, and Spring Branch High School.

Corky was active in the Spring Branch Schools that her children attended, St Timothy Methodist Church, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, youth baseball and softball, and football programs. Somehow, she managed to shuffle her 4 children from one event to another, and do everything else needed done.

Corky loved to bowl and was a part of several SB bowling leagues with some of her best friends: Ivil Cook, Elizabeth Lester, Erin Guthrie, Melba Gunn, and many others. She and her husband also bowled in a league together.

Corky loved to play bridge, and she and Tom would play cards together with her sisters and their husbands and other family friends. Not only bridge she loved to play Gin, Spades, Farkle, Rumicube and lots of Scrabble. She even was able to play Words with Friends with her sisters and children and grandchildren.

Corky loved the Arts. She especially liked the shows and performances at the Alley Theatre and the Sharpstown Theater in the Round. She and Tom would also enjoy the many free concerts in Herman Park at the Miller Outdoor Theater.

Corky was a great cook and always had fresh baked cookies, brownies, ginger bread, karo syrup popcorn balls, cinnamon rolls, and other treats available for after school snacks. She always had breakfast ready and lunches packed for another day of school for all and even had a few cents extra for an ice cream treat. She loved cooking crab and seafood gumbo (had the best roux ever), chicken fried steak, chicken spaghetti, tuna fish, bologna and cheese sandwiches.

Mom was also close to Tom’s family of 3 sisters and brother, and the many nephews and nieces. She especially enjoyed the trips to Angleton, and Surfside Beach where they had many family gatherings. Originally tarps and tents between the cars (and vinegar for sunburns) and then later at Aunt Mabel’s beach house. She has stayed in touch through the years with Michael, Carmen, Trish and Charlotte Kirk and Bill, and the other nephews as well.

Corky loved to travel. As young kids, she and dad would throw us in the back of the station wagon for weekend trips and vacations around the state.

There were also other trips with family friends to Surfside Beach, Corpus Christi, Travis Lodge on Lake LBJ and Camp Warneke on the Comal River.

Corky began work in1969 while her kids were in high school (Sherilyn was in 6th grade). She began work as a book keeper for Automated Business Forms, and eventually United Business Forms to help pay for her children’s college. She worked tirelessly, was proud of her work and would love it when her kids stopped by for a visit. She retired from working in 1998.

Corky and Tom loved and followed Aggie Football, where Tommy played his freshman year and Kenny played four years and lettered 3 years as a Varsity starter. She and Dad made all of the home games and many of the away game trips during those five years.

She and her sisters took many trips together, with many a trip to Boulder Colorado and the Flat Iron Mountains, Rocky Mountain National Park, Pikes Peak and Palo Duro Canyon. Other trips included Nashville, Smokey Mountains, Gatlinburg and Lookout Mountain, Asheville and the Biltmore, and Disney World. The sisters made a trip to Petroleum West Virginia to locate their dad’s childhood home.

In 2001, Corky sold her house of 45 years in Spring Branch, and moved to the Atascocita area of Humble Tx. There she was closer to 2 of her sisters, Marta and Niki, as well as daughter Sherilyn and partner Brenda. In 2019, she sold her house in Humble and moved to Nacogdoches, to be near Sherilyn and Brenda for her continued health care needs.

Corky has dedicated her life to her family, husband Tom, and her 4 children. She has maintained a great relationship to her 4 sisters, aunt, nieces, nephews, and cousins, and always welcomed news and updates from everyone. She always enjoyed a phone call, letter, and especially a visit. Mom is also blessed with 3 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren, (and various grand pets).

In closing, so many wonderful memories of mom that will stick in our minds forever.

A wonderful loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, cousin, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to all.

She has cared for all of us through the years, and even to this day is concerned for OUR well-being!

You couldn’t ask for a better mom that God gave to us all as a Gift, and we are grateful to have been a part of her Life! We know Corky is now breathing Heaven’s Fresh Air.

Those who proceeded her in death are a brother Donald K Cain, her Parents Carl Kenneth Cain and Lillie Ethel Cain, her husband Thomas Tait Stratton, Jr., her sister Bennie Jean Partain, and daughter-in-law Patricia Stratton. She is survived by her children, son Tommy Stratton, and his wife Jan Stratton, residing in Brenham TX, son Kenny Stratton, and his wife B J Stratton, residing in Bedford TX, son Stephen Stratton, residing in Houston TX, and daughter Sherilyn Stratton and her partner Brenda Darr, residing in Nacogdoches TX. Also surviving Granddaughter Lanette Cutter, and her husband Slade Cutter, residing in Austin TX, Granddaughter Lindsey Stratton, residing in Austin TX, Grandson David Stratton, residing in Boulder CO, Great-Granddaughter Frances (Franny) Ruth Cutter and Great-Grandson Theo Jennings Cutter, living in Austin, TX. She is also survived by her Aunt Judy White (97) residing in Abilene, an many first cousins, nieces and nephews, whom she loved dearly.

Memorial Contributions on Corky’s behalf can be made to Hospice of East Texas, American Lung Association, or a favorite charity of your choice.

Visitation with the family was held from 12 Noon until 1:00 p.m. on Friday, July 9, 2021 at Waltrip Funeral Directors. A Celebration of Life Service began at 1:00 p.m. Interment followed in Memorial Oaks Cemetery.