Joan Holloway Whitworth

Portrait of Joan Holloway Whitworth Headstone Photograph


Whitworth

Harry Philip
June 19, 1920
May 15, 1994

Joan Holloway
Jan. 24, 1933

Married
June 21
1976

Back of headstone

Whitworth
Full Name: Joan Holloway Whitworth
Location: Section:Patriots' Hill, Section 1 (A)
Row:X  Number:26
Reason for Eligibility: Wife of Harry Philip Whitworth 
Birth Date: January 24, 1933 
Died: May 10, 2015 
Burial Date: November 19, 2015 
 

WHITWORTH, JOAN HOLLOWAY (1933 ~ 2015). The following is an obituary for Joan Holloway Whitworth, spouse of former Texas House Member Harry Whitworth. The obituary was published in the May 13, 2015 edition of the Austin American Statesman.

Joan Whitworth, accomplished writer, philanthropist, mother, wife and friend was born January 24, 1933, in Brownwood, Texas to Sterling and Jean Holloway. After graduating from The Hockaday School in Dallas, Mrs. Whitworth attended the University of Texas at Austin, and then TCU, where she earned both B.A. and M.A. degrees and served as a member of the English Department faculty. She pursued Ph.D. studies at the University of Texas at Austin for two years while serving on the capitol staff of State Representative Vidal Trevino in the 57th Legislative Session.

She then became the office manager for Byron Tunnell's successful campaign for Speaker of the Texas House and moved with him to the Speaker's Office as his Executive Assistant. Upon Governor John Connally's appointment of Speaker Tunnell to the Railroad Commission, she accepted his predecessor, Speaker Ben Barnes', invitation to continue serving in the same capacity in the Speaker's Office.

Mrs. Whitworth left the Capitol in 1966 to become a Research Writer for the Texas Aeronautics Commission (TAC), but returned in 1967 to become the Executive Assistant to Senator Jack Strong. She then migrated to the State Affairs Office of the University of Texas System in 1971 before leaving to become the Director of Carrier Regulation at the TAC that same year. She left in 1980 to become the Vice President of Torrance and Associates and then became the President of Preferred Environments, Inc. in 1984.

Mrs. Whitworth was also heavily involved in the Austin community and with a favorite hobby of hers, golf. She was the founding President of the Barton Creek Women's Golf Association, President of the Austin Country Club Women's Golf Association, Chairwoman of the Ladies Golf Tournament and was President of the Austin Women's Golf Association. Mrs. Whitworth played a major role in establishing numerous scholarships at the University of Texas at Austin, including the Harvey Penick Men's and Women's Golf Scholarships, the Betsy Rawls Scholarship, the Whitworth/Holloway Scholarship and the Harry P. Whitworth Endowed Graduate Fellowships in Engineering. 

Mrs. Whitworth's love of golf has led her to edit two books on the subject. In 1999, she worked with Frances Trimble on her book One Hundred Years of Champions and Change (The History of Austin Country Club) and in 2001 helped Robert Baker on his book Logical Golf. She enthusiastically followed and supported UT Austin athletics, particularly the Women's basketball and golf programs. She loved good writing and politics, and believed that good government is both possible and necessary, especially when run by good people. As her father, Sterling Holloway, said often; "There are two kinds of people; those whose word is good and those whose word is not." She strove to be the former, and to teach her descendants to be so as well. 

A private service will be held for the family. Memorials in Mrs. Whitworth's name may be sent to at 2433 Ridgepoint Drive #A, Austin, Texas 78754 or may be donated online at www.cancer.org.

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