Manathella Whitbey Warren Thomas

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Mrs. Manathella Whitbey Warren Thomas, 83, died Friday, March 16, 2012, at NEA Baptist Hospital in Jonesboro.

A lifelong resident of Blytheville, she was born June 8, 1928, to Mr. and Mrs. W.P. Whitbey of McAllen, Texas, the oldest of seven siblings. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband, and father of her six children, James Leonard Warren; her husband, Malcolm Earl Thomas; two brothers, Thomas Whitbey and Frank Whitbey; and two sisters, Norma Jean Whitbey and Patsy Ruth Whitbey.

Surviving are her children and spouses, Larry and Sherry Warren of Aurora, Ill.; Linda and Floyd Luttrull of Blytheville, Carol and Lynn Hearn of Dell, Gary and Cheryl Warren of DeKalb, Ill., Brenda and Dennis Allen of Blytheville, and Sharon May of Norfolk, Va.;

A sister, Sue Teel of Kalispell, Mont.;

A brother, Jim Whitbey of Prescott, Ariz.;

Fourteen grandchildren, April Byerhoff, Ricky Warren and Jamie Warren of Aurora, Ill., Jim Luttrull of Blytheville, Cornelia Martinez of Brigham City, Utah, Laura Thaxton of Blytheville, Jason Desmond of Hernando, Miss., Brian and Andrew Warren of DeKalb Ill.,, Mickey Allen of Blytheville, Matt Prewett of Kennett Mo., Tracy Reynolds of Chesapeake, Va., Steven Stribling of Paris, France, and John Wesley Stribling of Colorado Springs, Col.; and

Twenty-seven great-grandchildren, and eight great-great-grandchildren.

Thella grew up in the South and made Blytheville her home in 1947 and has remained since. She raised six children as a stay-at-home Mom, helping her husband in the farming business until they retired in 1983. She was a seamstress and was well known for her sewing talent, and made many friends through a small alteration clientele in Blytheville.

Thella didn't work outside the home until her two youngest daughters were ready to graduate from high school. She was employed by Anngeo Manufacturing as a seamstress for a few years, then retired again.

Thella fought a cancer battle beginning in August 1997 until the present day. She was a courageous and determined woman who seldom acknowledged her cancer, but instead embraced life daily with a tenacious spirit. Her faith was unshakeable and her desire was to serve and trust a merciful God. She was a strong Christian, and was an active member of Ruddle Road Church of God for the past 20 plus years, participating in many church activities, especially in recent years.

Thella was left a legacy of stewardship to God through her mother, Melcie Whitbey, who was a lay minister and music minister in her own church in Shafter, Calif., for more than 50 years.

She loved to travel and enjoyed seeing the sites of this world with her local travel group, the Mo-Ark Travelers, as well as traveling with family to other destinations. She was always ready for a plan to travel someplace new that sparked her interest.

If you ever met Thella, you know that she always had a smile on her face and loved life to the fullest with her family and church family. At 83, she was so full of life and hope for her future, but she also kept her faith knowing that God had greater things in store for her.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 20, at Ruddle Road Church of God with the Rev. Danny Pankey officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Monday at Cobb Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. Online condolences may be expressed at cobbfuneralhome.com