Murtice Leona Nesbitt

Murtice Leona Carroll Nesbitt departed this world from The Long-Good-bye illness on February 6, 2005 at a Fort Worth care center. Services will be at 11:30 am Thursday at Rector Funeral Home Osage Chapel, with Rev. Robert Field, retired Baptist minister officiating. Interment will be at Llano East Cemetery. Arrangements are by Rector Funeral Home Osage Chapel, 2800 S. Osage St., Amarillo. Murtice was born on October 31, 1921, in a small community near Plainview, Texas, the fourth child of Susie and Monroe Carroll. Since her birthday was on Halloween, it became a special celebration for Murtice that she always shared with her family and many friends. She was a graduate of Plainview High School, Draughon's Business College in Amarillo, Texas and Powell Cosmetology School in Lubbock, Texas. She enjoyed several professional careers before her retirement. She worked in sales, management and was an instructor in Cosmetology. She loved the sport of baseball and was an outstanding softball pitcher herself. She enjoyed gardening, and canning fresh vegetables to share with her family. It was not Sunday unless Murtice had a roast beef dinner prepared for lunch after church. And she did it with all the trimmings plus chocolate pie or cake for dessert. Nothing gave her more joy than cooking for her family. She taught Sunday School and worked in the outreach programs at First Baptist Church in Abernathy, Texas where she lived for many years. Murtice had a charismatic personality and a ""can do"" spirit and was a wonderful role model for her three children and her students. She was tenacious and hard working and refused to give up on any person or any job. She was always there with an encouraging word and truly believed, just like the children's story of the little red choo-choo train going up the hill, that if you just kept saying, ""I think I can, I think I can"" then you could do it. She had a deep and unshakable faith in God and believed ""things always worked out for the best"". She shared 57 years with her husband and partner in life, Paul Nesbitt. Paul died on their 57th wedding anniversary December 21, 1997. She will be missed each and every day by her children and grandchildren, who she was so proud of, and her extended family and friends. Murtice's family gratefully acknowledges the loving and devoted care given to her by the direct care givers at City View Care Center, Trinity Terrace, James L. West, and the sensitive and professional care of Vitas Hospice staff. Murtice's loving sisters, Nell Cosby and Helena Hembree, preceded her in death. Survivors: Daughter, Shirlee J Gandy and husband Taylor of Fort Worth; Sons, Dwain Nesbitt of Fort Worth and Mickey Nesbitt and wife Lisa of Cabot, AR; grandchildren; Kirk and Mark Nesbitt, Ashlee Jung, Erica Riddle and Michelle Nesbitt; great-grandchildren Campbell and Claudia Jung, Lindsey and Lydia Riddle, Brothers, James, Willis and William Carroll and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorials: Alzheimer's Association of North Central Texas, 101 Summit Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76102