Sixty-six year Harborite Leola Grace Whorton of Central Park died Thursday, Feb. 7, 2002, at her home. She was 88.
Mrs. Whorton was born Feb. 18, 1913, at Spiritwood, N.D., to William and Maude (Cook) Herbig. She graduated from high school in North Dakota and attended normal school for a year. She and her family then moved to Clarksville, Ark., where she met Carl O. Whorton. They were married March 18, 1933. The couple moved to McCleary in 1936, then to Hoquiam. In 1946, they moved to Central Park. They built Whorton's Motel in Central Park in 1947 and operated it until he died in 1979.
Mrs. Whorton went to the Aberdeen Senior Center regularly. She also belonged to the Gray Ladies and the Grandmother's Club. She was known for being able to make any kind of plant cuttings grow. She enjoyed working in her garden and was also known for the dahlias she grew. At one time, she raised poodles. She also loved her cats.
Survivors include three sons, Dean of Winlock, Wayne of Cupertino, Calif., and Neal of Central Park; a brother, Merle Herbig of Seattle; a sister, Naomi Eide of Salem, Ore.; 14 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren and two caregivers, Delores Bogarin and Howard Aho of Aberdeen. Three brothers, Vern, Ade and Phil Herbig, died before her.
Visitation will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 9 and 10, at the Coleman Mortuary in Hoquiam. A celebration of her life is planned for 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the home of Neal Whorton. A graveside service is set for 10 a.m. Monday in Hoquiam's Sunset Memorial Park.
