Jorgette Mashburn

     Jorgette Michelle Petre Mashburn passed peacefully from this life and went to be with the Lord on May 26, 2024.

     Jorgette was born in Abilene, Texas on March 6, 1954, to Noel Wilson Petre Sr., and Margarette ("George') Beldon Sumerlin. She grew up just north of Abilene, and attended Taylor Elementary School, Lincoln Junior High School, and graduated from Abilene High School in 1972. After graduation Jorgette attended Hardin-Simmons University where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Education and graduated in 1976. Jorgette, or Mrs. Mashburn, as her students called her, first started her career teaching 3rd grade at Hawley Elementary School, then later moved to Hamby Elementary School in 1989 to teach 3rd grade until the school closed down, then went on to teach 3rd grade at Clyde Elementary School. Later in years she would also go on to teach the Gifted and Talented class at Clyde Elementary School until she retired in May of 2007. Teaching school and working with students in a fun and exciting way to help them excel in the classroom was one of her biggest passions in life. At the end of each day, she would come home with many unique stories to share around the dinner table about what had happened that day, or what her students or her fellow colleagues had done or said during the day in the classroom or in the school building. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence for her to be out in public and have one of her students, or a former student she taught from years ago, come up and speak to her and tell her how much they enjoyed being in her classroom or how she impacted their life in some way.

     Jorgette met her husband, Larry Mashburn, while she was doing her student teaching through Hardin-Simmons University. She completed her student teaching assignment in Larry's 6th grade classroom at Fannin Elementary School in 1976. She and Larry would later be married on June 5, 1977, in the Petre's home in Abilene, Texas.

    Throughout her life, Jorgette loved spending time outdoors and going on walks down by the lake at Fort Phantom, or planting flowers, or even spending a couple of hours in the hot summer afternoons sitting in a lawn chair in the sunshine reading a book and drinking a Dr. Pepper. She also loved and enjoyed art and was very creative and could draw a lifelike portrait of a person in a matter of a few minutes. Also, being an animal lover, she spent a lot of time with all of her numerous pets and her dogs, one dog in particular, Lola, a German Short Haired Pointer that Larry got her when she beat the fight against breast cancer in 2007. She also loved to go on trips, going shopping, going to concerts, and she loved to jam out to Beatles tunes or other classic rock hits whenever she was driving around town in her car. Jorgette had a great passion for listening to music, and spent many nights and countless hours listening to Larry's band Shade Tree perform all over the country throughout the late 1970's and 1980's. Later on, she would go on to spend many more nights and many more countless hours listening to their son Cole Mashburn play his electric guitar and amp up into the wee hours of the morning trying to perfect his guitar playing skills, or go to listen to Cole's band Freeride perform. She was quick to let them know if their vocals and harmonies were up to par or not, or if they needed to put in more work to be good! Although, a kid with a Fender Telecaster guitar and a tube amp turned up to the maximum volume at 2am in the morning can be quite irritating to most people, Jorgette never spoke an ill word about it and only supported Cole and his love for music and for playing guitars and encouraged him to be the best guitar player and musician he could possibly be.

    Jorgette was a devoted wife, mother, friend, a great school teacher, and a mentor who impacted many people's lives throughout her lifetime. Wherever she went, she was always the true light of the party with her pretty smile and stylish outfits! She will be truly missed by many! Jorgette was preceded in death by her parents Noel Wilson Petre Sr., and Margarette ("George") Beldon Sumerlin Petre, her uncle Dwight Lovett, her aunt Merle Lovett, her cousin Dinah Lea Lovett, her uncle Macon Summerlin, her aunt Bobbie Summerlin, and her favorite beloved puppy dog Lola. She is survived by her husband Larry Mashburn of Lake Fort Phantom, son Cole Mashburn, and Samantha Henson and Logan Lawson of Lake Fort Phantom, in laws Terry and Pam Mashburn of Lake Fort Phantom, brother Noel Wilson ("Pete") Petre Jr. and Terri of Kerrville, niece Tresleigh Petre of Abilene, nephew Marc Petre of Abilene, cousin Helen Leflar and Terry of Fort Worth, cousin Tisa White and Todd of Rockwall, cousin Mike Sumerlin and Rindy of Houston, cousin Austin Sumerlin and Shawna of Houston, cousin John Dee Sumerlin of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, and numerous other cousins, and a great niece, and many great friends.

     A visitation will be held 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Sunday, June 2, 2024, at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Rd.

     Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, June 3, 2024, at Stith Cemetery. 

    Memorials may be made in Jorgette's memory to the donor's favorite charity.