Edna Loretta Cary was born August 5, 1926 to John and Mary Cary in Vernon, Texas. Loretta was the middle child of the three daughters born to this union. As a child the girls loved playing in the old cars in the wrecking yard owned by her dad just outside Vernon. She fondly remembered her happy home and childhood days. She was raised in a Christian home and taught the ways of God by her parents and grandparents. So, at the tender age of seven at a revival, she gave her life to Christ. She gives credit to those members of First Baptist Church, Vernon for leading her and guiding in ways of discipleship. In her teenage years, she met a young man through friends and they began to date. On September 2, 1943 George and Loretta McNabb were married in California while George was serving in the Navy.
To this union three children were born, Carolyn Sue McNabb Thurman, Katherine Elaine McNabb Darrow and George Kenneth McNabb Jr. Loretta was a Proverbs 31 woman of noble character who took care of the home and raised her children well. She was active in the church and even walked to church when they had no car. She taught VBS, Training Union and admonished her children in the ways of the Lord. When her children were older she began helping out with the family budget by selling Stanley products.
She began her work with the First National Bank in Perryton in the bookkeeping Department and later became the friendly, caring teller at the drive-up window. As life changes came about, Loretta began working in the school system in Pecos, Texas as a special education aide then continued on in the school library. When George and Loretta moved back to Amarillo after his retirement, she again worked at Avondale School in Amarillo. But the greatest joy of Loretta’s life came after she retired and she was afforded the opportunity to pour into the lives of her great-grandchildren. She loved, taught and nurtured them as she had her own children in the ways of the Lord. Loretta was a woman of prayer and her family and friends knew that she was on her knees lifting up petitions on their behalf to the Father.
The attribute that will long be remembered by others of Loretta is her beautiful smile and love and care for others. Her servant heart always put others before herself. She and George moved her mother into their home in her final days and cared for her until her passing. She made many trips to Fort Worth help care for her older sister as she lost her fight to congestive heart failure and she and George cared for her baby sister in their home in Amarillo until her passing from cancer. George and Loretta led a service weekly at Bivins Nursing home for around ten years and were awarded Volunteers of the Year in 2005. The hospice caretakers were all anxious to serve Loretta due to her gracious, kind spirit and all those yummy kisses she passed out when they came to care for her.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her sisters and brothers-in-law, Warren and Jewell Goss, Kirby and Beth Lynn.
She is survived by her faithful husband and caretaker of almost 75 years, George McNabb of Amarillo, her children, Carolyn Thurman and husband Danny of Farnsworth, Kathy Darrow of Melissa, TX, and Kenneth McNabb and wife Judy of Plano, Texas. Her grandchildren are Chris Thurman and wife Holly, Shelley Blair and husband Doni, Lindsey Darrow Cobb and husband Sonny, Natalie McNabb Drake and husband Jeff and Lisa McNabb and fiancé, Brandon Calvert. Great grandchildren include Austin, Claire and Spencer Thurman, Taylor-Ann Price and Morgan Cobb, Sara and Daniel Drake. She is also survived by two brothers-in-law, Delbert Petitt and Jody Lemon, sister-in-law Ellen McNabb Wall and a host of nephews and nieces whom she loved dearly.
Memorials made be made to Paramount Baptist Church, Amarillo, Texas.
