Posted 9:04 pm Friday, August 17, 2012
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Martha Belle Renshaw
Services for Martha Belle Renshaw, 88, of Tyler, will be held on Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012, at 10 a.m. at Stewart Family Funeral Home with Dr. Paul Powell officiating. A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2012, at 11 a.m. in Oaklawn Cemetery in Decatur with Dr. Paul Powell officiating under direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home.
Martha Belle passed away on Aug. 14, 2012, at The Hospice of East Texas HomePlace, after a short illness.
She was born in Decatur on April 1, 1924, to John James “Tige” and Marion “Elsie” Drew Renshaw. Martha attended Decatur High School where she was elected to be the first drum major of the high school band. She also sang in the high school choir, which won the “All Texas Best Choral Club” award.
While in high school, Martha was sponsored by the Decatur Chamber of Commerce to represent Decatur three years running in the Miss Texas contest.
She attended a summer art class in Taos, N.M., sponsored by the Hockaday School in Dallas, before attending Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. While at TCU she was chosen Ranch Week Queen and studied art, mechanical engineering and draftsmanship. During her time at TCU, she designed and etched the horned frog used to represent the school and was also awarded a Teacher of Art Certificate.
Upon graduation, she was hired by Consolidated in Fort Worth where she designed manufacturing devices and components for military aircraft.
After the war, Martha opened her own art studio on McKinney Avenue in Dallas where she painted many portraits. She designed the program covers, posters and stationery for the State Fair Horse Show and the Dallas Charity Horse Shows 28 years.
Mrs. Renshaw is survived by her son, Jim Bray and wife Linda; granddaughter, Lacy Finn; great-granddaughter, Leila Finn, all of Prosper; cousins, Hazel Innis and Dr. Rick Coker and wife Melinda of Tyler. Other cousins include Cynthia Farrell and Joseph Innis of Dallas, Gary Jack Coker Jr. of Waco and Martha Ann Coker Wallace of Midland.
She was preceded in death by her father, John James “Tige” Renshaw; mother, Marion Elsie Drew Renshaw; infant son, Bill Blanton Defee Jr. on April 30, 1944, and an infant daughter on April 5, 1945.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wise County Historical Society Inc., P.O. Box 427, Decatur, 76234.
While in high school, Martha was sponsored by the Decatur Chamber of Commerce to represent Decatur three years running in the Miss Texas contest.
She attended a summer art class in Taos, N.M., sponsored by the Hockaday School in Dallas, before attending Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. While at TCU she was chosen Ranch Week Queen and studied art, mechanical engineering and draftsmanship. During her time at TCU, she designed and etched the horned frog used to represent the school and was also awarded a Teacher of Art Certificate.
Upon graduation, she was hired by Consolidated in Fort Worth where she designed manufacturing devices and components for military aircraft.
After the war, Martha opened her own art studio on McKinney Avenue in Dallas where she painted many portraits. She designed the program covers, posters and stationery for the State Fair Horse Show and the Dallas Charity Horse Shows 28 years.
Mrs. Renshaw is survived by her son, Jim Bray and wife Linda; granddaughter, Lacy Finn; great-granddaughter, Leila Finn, all of Prosper; cousins, Hazel Innis and Dr. Rick Coker and wife Melinda of Tyler. Other cousins include Cynthia Farrell and Joseph Innis of Dallas, Gary Jack Coker Jr. of Waco and Martha Ann Coker Wallace of Midland.
She was preceded in death by her father, John James “Tige” Renshaw; mother, Marion Elsie Drew Renshaw; infant son, Bill Blanton Defee Jr. on April 30, 1944, and an infant daughter on April 5, 1945.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wise County Historical Society Inc., P.O. Box 427, Decatur, 76234.
