Betty J. McWhorter

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Betty J. McWhorter, age 87, of Michigan City, died Sunday, March 29 at St. Anthony Memorial Health Care. Services will be held Thursday, April 16 at 2:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 121 E. 7th St. Michigan City, IN with Rev. John d. Hall officiating. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until the service at the church. Burial will be Saturday, April 18 at 1:00 p.m. at Bunnell Cemetery, Frankfort, IN. Mrs. McWhorter was born July 27, 1921 in Frankfort, IN to Charles and Elizabeth Maude (Hopkins) Young, both of whom preceded her in death. On July 18, 1942 in Indianapolis, she married Russell R. McWhorter, past president and chairman of the board for Citizens Bank in Michigan City, who passed away January 18, 1997 in Phoenix.

Surviving are daughter Jacquie (Robert) Wagenschutz of Jackson, TN, grandson Anthony J. (Lisa) McWhorter of Honolulu, great-grandchildren Quinn, Blake and Keely of Honolulu, and brother Donald (Carol) Young of Yorktown, IN. She was preceded in death by a son Jeffrey R. McWhorter on March 27, 2008, and 3 sisters and 2 brothers.

Mrs. McWhorter had been a homemaker and exceptional community volunteer. She was a member of First United Methodist Church and church circle. She was past president of “Friends of the Library” and past secretary of the Library Board of Trustees. She was very active in the 4H Clubs in Danville, IL and Indianapolis. She was past president of Home Bureau Nite One in Danville and a former model in Danville. She had been very active in the former Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. When she and her husband came to Michigan City in 1962, she started the Candy Striper program at Memorial Hospital. She also joined the hospital auxiliary and volunteered at the Open Door Clinic. Mrs. McWhorter was a founding member of the Festival Players Guild and sponsor of the Canterbury Summer Theater. She served as Treasurer from 1969 until 1976, initiated and chaired the Guild’s Geranium Sale fund drive for eight years and served as membership chair. She currently was serving on the Guild’s Executive Board. She was a former member of the MC Yacht Club, Pottawatomie Country Club, Long Beach Country Club, and the Long Beach Garden Club. She had knitted over 400 caps, booties and blankets for the LaPorte and Memorial Hospitals as a current member of the PNCWA knitting and crocheting interest group. Betty was a lifetime member of the PNC Chancellor’s Society, (Purdue) President’s Council and a member of the PNC Women’s Association. She established an endowed scholarship, in her husband’s name in 1997, which provides scholarships to students pursuing a business degree at PNC.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Russell R. McWhorter Scholarship at PNC, First United Methodist Church, or Mainstreet Theatre.