Karon (Harris) Worley

Karon (Harris) Worley of Whitney passed away on Thursday, December 3, 2020, at Hill Regional Hospital in Hillsboro.  She is now with her heavenly Father and other loved ones after 94 years.  A private family graveside service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 5, 2020, at Bethlehem Cemetery in Whitney.  Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors in Whitney are in charge of arrangements.  The service will be live streamed on Marshall & Marshall’s Facebook page.

Karon was the daughter of Ludd William “Pete” Harris and Clara (Behringer) Harris.  She resided in Whitney until the 1930’s when her family moved to Hillsboro after her father was elected Hill County Tax Collector-Assessor.  Karon finished high school in 1942 and later received her Associates Degree in Education from Hillsboro College (now Hill College).

One summer while skating at the Whitney Skating Rink, she met a handsome, nice sailor named Joe Worley.  They dated and were married 2 years later.

During income tax season, she worked for Harvey Mackey, CPA, in Hillsboro.  She was secretary/treasurer for Marshall’s Community Life for about 2 years until it sold and the office moved out of town.  Her next full-time job was an elementary teacher at Lakenon, which is located northeast of Hillsboro.

In 1962 the phone exchange for Whitney went to direct dialing, which included Morgan and Walnut Springs.  Karon was employed as office manager.  One of her duties was to assign seven digit phone numbers.  Later she was responsible for receiving payments on local bills sent out by the company, Texas Telephone and Telegraph.  The company sold four times during her employment and at the time of closing was Verizon.  Karon was the service representative then and worked there for 25 years until its closing.  She then began commuting to Fort Worth, where she worked in the office of Mid States Wholesale & Supply Company.  Due to failing health, she retired after 2 years.

In 2005, Karon was Parade Marshall for the Whitney Pioneer Day celebration.  This was such an honor and pleasure for her!  She was secretary/treasurer of Bethlehem Cemetery for 40 years.  Karon also served as treasurer for the Whitney Ex-Students Association for many years.  The Whitney Area Museum was fortunate to have Karon serve as President for 11 years.  Her outgoing personality and knowledge of Whitney’s past helped as she greeted visitors.

Karon was a Christian and was raised as a Baptist by her parents.  Joe and she attended church as much as their health would allow.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Joe M. Worley; parents; two brothers, Ludd William “Pete” Harris, Jr. of Baytown and Dr. O.R. “Dick” Harris of Fresno, CA; and son-in-law, Victor Abeles

Survivors include her daughters, Vickie Swain Abeles of Fort Worth and Rene’ Kautz Dendy and husband, Rick, of Whitney; brother, Doug Harris and wife, Donna, of Fort Worth; sister, Margaret DeHart of Whitney; two granddaughters, Kam Kautz Cook and husband, Brent, of Whitney, and Karli Kautz of Farmers Branch; two grandsons, Zachary Swain and wife, Melanie, of Fort Worth and Shane Dendy and wife, Charlsie, of Lake Dallas; great-grandchildren, Jonah Cook, Leo Cook, Ethan Dendy, William Swain, and Jack Swain; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorials my be made to the Hill County Paw Pals, P. O. Box 1533, Hillsboro, TX 76645 or Cedar Creek Baptist Church, 5643 FM 933, Whitney, TX 76692.