Ashley Hunter
Greene Publishing, Inc.
On April 29, 1910, the life of Cora Thigpen began in Lafayette County, Fl. to her parents, Samuel and Mary Newman.
Throughout her years, Thigpen lived with an enthusiastic zest for life. Thigpen enjoyed family get-togethers filled with southern comfort, food, fun and fellowship; gardening, as she has always loved bright colored flowers and kept a neat and tidy garden; quilting parties where close friends were invited over to work on a quilt, laugh, joke and gossip; fishing, where they would dig worms for bait and fish with a cane pole; southern gospel music; listening to the Grand Ole Opry on the back porch; Sunday church meetings with church dinner on the grounds and feeding her chickens. Up until her last functioning hours, Thigpen could often be found playing the piano and her daughters fondly remember sitting beside their mother and singing “Beulah Land” as she played.
On July 20, 1927, Thigpen married Shelly Williams; a union that would last until Williams' death. Together, Thigpen and Williams had nine children, five of whom are still alive.
It was many years before Thigpen remarried, and it was David Thigpen, of Greenville, who finally won her heart.
Through her marriage to David, Thigpen took seven step-children into her heart, bringing her family together with his.
Thigpen was blessed to raise her nephew alongside her children.
Throughout her life, Thigpen suffered many of the trials that come with living, such as losing her father at a young age; being parted with four of her children by death; the death of her brother while he served during World War II; the loss of her first husband; and having a grandson being listed as Missing In Action during the Vietnam War.
But Thigpen also lived a life of love for her family and for her Lord Jesus Christ and on Friday, Sept. 30, Thigpen was reunited with her lost loved ones and brought into the throne of her Savior.
Cora Thigpen was 106 years old when she passed away.
On Sunday, Oct. 2, funeral services were held for the beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and aunt.
Services were held at Beggs Funeral Home, with burial taking place at Midway Cemetery. Visitation took place one hour prior to the funeral service.
During the service, Rev. Ted Burrell provided the welcome, prayer and special message of hope. Ben Long preformed “Amazing Grace” on the trumpet, and family members sang “Beulah Land” and “I Bowed on My Knees and Cried Holy.”