Elizabeth Louise Hutchings' Obituary
Elizabeth Louise (McDonald) Hutchings was born on March 23, 1925 in Ida, TX and was called home to heaven on December 11, 2024. She grew up on a farm in north Texas picking cotton and riding horses, surrounded by many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Elizabeth also sang in the McDonald family band where her mother played piano, her father played the fiddle, and her brother played the guitar. The family would perform at high schools and church events.
She met the love of her life James “Jim” Hutchings (a navigator on a B-17 with the 95th Bombardment Group during WWII) at a USO dance at Perrin Air Force Base. They dated for one week until he was shipped overseas. The two wrote letters throughout his time in the war and fell in love. They were married in October 1946. The newlyweds briefly lived in Jim’s hometown of Elmira, NY before settling in Richardson, Texas in 1956, where they remained and shared 71 years of life and cherished memories until Jim passed away in 2017.
Elizabeth worked at Texas Instruments for more than 18 years and helped put all three of their children through college. Elizabeth was a kind, loving, and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She enjoyed bowling, traveling, and spending time with her family. Elizabeth focused on her family and served others with joy and gladness. She was active in church and brought comfort to many people she met.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband Jim. She is survived by two sons, Steve (wife, Donna) Hutchings and John (wife, Alice) Hutchings, daughter Linda (husband, Marshal) Garner; eight grandchildren (Nick, Mark, Ian, Nathan, Ellen, Austin, Seth, and Shannon); and six (soon to be seven) great-grandchildren.
The memorial service will be held on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at 4 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Richardson, located at 503 North Central Expressway, in Richardson, TX 75080. Senior Pastor Dr. Clayton Oliphint will preside over the service.
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