Grace Ruth Whitis

CLICK HERE TO VIEW SERVICE

Grace Ruth (Richardson) Whitis went home to the Lord on August 16, 2023 in Temple, Texas. Visitation will be Thursday, August 17, 2023 from 6 to 7pm. at Dossman Funeral Home.   Funeral service will be Friday, August 18, 2023 at 2pm at Dossman Funeral Home in Belton with Dr. Leroy Kemp officiating and burial will follow in the North Belton Cemetery.

She was born on September 14, 1942 in San Antonio to Allan and Jewel Richardson. Grace was named for her paternal grandmother, who died during the 1917-1918 flu pandemic. On March 6, 1965 she married Robert (Bob) Elwood Whitis. They have a son, Jay Kyle and a daughter, Jennifer Ann. She had four younger brothers.

Grace accepted Christ as her Savior and was baptized at age 9 joining Woodland Hills Baptist Church, Bunyan Blackwell, pastor. Bob was a Christian and joined Grace to be active members of Baptist Churches in Ruston, LA, Jonesboro, AR and Belton. She sang in church choirs and taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.

Grace started school in a two-room school in Selma, Texas just North of San Antonio. She attended public schools in Dallas and San Antonio and graduated in 1961 from Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio.

Grace graduated with a diploma from Scott and White School of Nursing in 1965 and earned an RN license. She received a BS in Elementary Education from University of Mary Hardin Baylor, and both a Masters degree and PhD from the University of Texas at Austin.

Grace and Bob lived most of their married life in Central Texas except for a few years they lived in Ruston, Louisiana and Jonesboro, Arkansas. For over thirty years Grace taught nursing and Bob taught accounting at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Louisiana Tech and Arkansas State University. For fourteen years after their retirement, they enjoyed raising cattle and Boar goats, gardening and maintaining their large lawn and flowers at their home west of Temple. She also volunteered her time with Family Promise, Helping Hands and spent many hours working for Project Apple Tree. In 2014, they moved into Belton due to health concerns.

Grace’s parents and two brothers, Roger Dale Richardson and David Wayne Richardson preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband Bob of Belton, son Jay Whitis of Belton, and daughter Jennifer Whitis of Richmond, Texas. She is also survived by two brothers, James Richardson and wife Ellice of Baton Rouge, LA and Gary Richardson of Temple, TX.

In lieu of flowers, her family asks that memorials be made to her parents scholarship fund, the Allan and Jewell Richardson Endowed Scholarship Fund at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor or the charity of your choice.