A Life of Faith, Family, Devotion and Caring for Others
Ophelia Genevieve (Turner) Litchfield was born in Newton, Newton County, Texas on October 31, 1918. Ophelia was the oldest daughter of Arthur Otis Turner and Eva Genevieve (Gilcrest) Turner. Ophelia’s childhood years were spent in Newton before the family moved to Port Arthur, Texas after the Great Depression.
Ophelia loved to play the piano and would often fill in on Sunday’s and during Revivals held in and around the area. It wasn’t an unusual sight to see her father preaching and her playing hymn’s on the piano. Ophelia graduated from Port Arthur Jefferson High School. Ophelia went on to college at Baylor University and received her bachelor’s degree in Education and Music.
Upon graduation she married Glenn Gordon Litchfield and resided in Port Arthur where they purchased their first home at 3034 Las Palmas Drive. In the mid 1940’s Gordon was offered an engineering position at American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) in Corpus Christi, Texas. Their move to Corpus Christi was the beginning of a very long love story not only with a family they were about to raise but a city and a church family. They lived in a garage apartment in SAXET Center until they could afford a home at 410 Brooks St. Gordon continued to work at ASARCO while Ophelia taught school and tutored many students on the piano.
On December 21, 1948 they welcomed their first child, Jerry Gordon Litchfield, into the family and on April 26, 1959 they welcomed their second son, Charles Otis. It was not long after that that they decided more room was needed for a growing family and moved to 455 University which they called home for over 59 years.
Gordon and Ophelia were members of the First Baptist Church of Corpus Christi. Here they developed so many good friendships and lifelong friends. Gordon was a deacon and Mom held numerous Bible Study classes at Church and their home. They would need this church family in March of 1966 when Jerry was killed in a freak accident while at the beach. The church and neighbors were a true blessing to them while they healed from this tragedy.
In the years and decades to come Gordon and Ophelia enjoyed traveling and entertaining families at their home. Ophelia had many talents and was an accomplished seamstress, china painter, cook and loved to needlepoint. Gordon and Ophelia loved to walk so they were a daily sight at the mall early each morning. Ophelia would continue those walks until she was 95.
Ophelia was preceded in death by her father, Arthur Otis Turner, Mother, Eva Genevieve (Gilcrest) Turner, James Arthur Turner (Brother), Harry David Turner (Brother), Walter Allen Turner (Brother), Katherine Faye Turner (Sister), Glenn Gordon Litchfield (Husband) and Jerry Gordon Litchfield (Son). She is survived by her son Charles Otis Litchfield and his wife Stacey Lee Litchfield of Sugar Land, Texas.
Her lifelong focus was on family, friends and support of those who needed her many talents. Her infectious smile and never quit attitude will be greatly missed.
A Celebration of life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, July 10, 2020 at First Baptist Church.
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