Cindy Whitaker

Cynthia “Cindy” Lizabeth Jones Whitaker, 72, of Claude, Texas, passed away in her home on Wednesday, December 20th, 2023. Cindy was born on October 26th, 1951 to Phil & Dorothy Jones in Denver, Colorado. After Cindy graduated from Claude High School in 1969, she began her studies at West Texas State College in Canyon where during registration for classes, she met the love of her life, Lewis Whitaker. They were married in Amarillo in September of 1970. After graduation from WT, Cindy began her teaching career in Bushland and they started their family with the birth of their first son, Lewis Lee.  After a few years of teaching in Bushland, Lewis and Cindy purchased a farm west of Claude and she began teaching elementary school in Claude. They were then blessed with the birth of their second son, Lanny Ray. Cindy taught the remainder of her 30 years in Claude. She loved each of her students and made life-changing impressions on lots of young lives.  Many of them have said she was always their favorite teacher.

After retirement in 2002, Cindy took on the title of “Grancie” and enjoyed spending her time chasing grandchildren to different sporting events, baking and cooking for her family, RVing with Lewis and their friends, weekly meetings with the Methodist women, and most of all quilting. She introduced many friends to the joys of quilting, and loved spending time with her quilting ladies.

Cindy was preceded in death by her parents, Phil and Dorothy Jones, sister, Phyllis Lunsford, and brothers, Mike Jones, and Tim Jones.

She is survived by her husband, Lewis of over 53 years, two sons, Lee (Leslie) of Claude, and Lanny (Jessica) of Colorado Springs, grandchildren, Emily and Aiden Whitaker, and Calvin and Henry Whitaker, sister-in-law, Wanda Whitaker, brother-in-law, Denny Lunsford, one niece Molly Lunsford Mandry (Thomas), and four nephews, Mike Patton, Dean Whitaker (Janda), Adam Lunsford, Wes Lunsford (Jennifer).  Cindy is greatly loved and will be missed by many.

Services will be held at the Claude First Methodist Church on Saturday, December 23, 2023, at 2:00 pm.

The family requests memorials be sent to Claude EMS, PO Box 231, Claude, TX 79019,

or Claude First Methodist Church, 400 Price Street, Claude, TX 79019.