Linder "Ruth" Whitten

Linder “Ruth” Whitten 86 of Lufkin passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Monday, January 31, 2022. Visitation will be held Thursday, February 3, 2022 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Carroway Funeral Home in Huntington. Funeral services will be held Friday, February 4, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at Huntington First Baptist Church with Bro. Daryl Smith officiating. Interment will follow at Huntington Cemetery.

Linder “Ruth” Whitten was born June 15, 1935 in Pearl River County, Mississippi to Linder Belle (Cobb) and Thomas Woodson Lazenby. She attended school in Lumberton, Mississippi and graduated Valedictorian of her class in 1953. She stayed that summer with her sister Mary in Houston, Texas to work and save money for college that fall. She needed a ride to work and John Whitten provided that ride. Who knew that he would turn out to be the love of her life.  They were married on June 20, 1954.

She worked for United States Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance for over thirty years before retiring to Huntington in 1990. She enjoyed gardening, canning and traveling with her grandkids. One of her many joys was teaching her granddaughters how to can and make jelly.

She was an active member of Huntington First Baptist Church where she served as church treasurer for seven years. Perhaps her greatest joy was teaching the Gleaners Sunday School Class which she taught for twenty-three years. She dearly loved her ladies and kept up a card ministry until she could no longer write.

She knew she was dying and gathered all her family around her this last week. Toward the end, she told one of her granddaughters that she wanted this in her obituary, “This week I have gotten to see family, hear all of y’all, hear laughter and listen to memories. It was a WON-DER-FUL last week.”

She is survived by John, her husband of sixty seven years and her two sons, Michael Wayne Whitten and wife Linda Whitten of Burke, Vernon Pres Whitten and wife Jenny of Magnolia; granddaughters, Cori Carvazos of Baltimore, Maryland, Jessica Sliter and husband Nathan of Magnolia, Miranda Turner and husband Zach of Lufkin, Sarah Hirsch and husband Allyn of Magnolia, Dr. Rachel Whitten of Aiken, South Carolina, Emily Whitten of Houston, and Hannah Ferrari of Boston, Massachusetts; grandsons, Robert Whitten and wife Elizabeth of Lufkin, Jason Whitten and wife Cassie of Huntington, eleven great grandchildren, and five great-great grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Myna Lazenby and Elaine Hines; and friends that became family, Becky, Larry and Brian Ermis, Robyn Ermis Jones, Laura and Sam Luxton, Joann and Leonard Partida.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father; sisters, Mattie Lee, Annie Clyde Lee, Florence “Genie” Putfark, and Mary Cooley; brothers, Wilson, Willie, Harry, Paul Ray, Earl and Cornelius “Neal” Lazenby; and daughter-in-law, Teresa Whitten.

The Whitten family would like to thank Hospice of the Pines and extend a special thank you to the staff of the Pinecrest Healthcare Unit for the love and kindness they showed in caring for Ruth.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Huntington First Baptist Church, or your favorite charity.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Huntington, directors.