Cora May Wharton (1945 - 1985)

Born 20 Sep 1945 in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Died 18 Jun 1985 at age 39 in Plains, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Star Kline [send private message]

Biography

Cora May Wharton was born on 20 Sep 1945 in the Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne, Pennsylvania. She was delivered by cesarean section by Dr. Alfred Friedman. She is the daughter of Willie Wharton and Sylvia Panagakos. Her parents named her after her maternal grandmother, Cora May Panagakos. She was the older of two children, but was raised as an only child because her younger sister, Jane Mary, died a few hours after birth.^[1]

At the time of the 1950 census, Cora May lived with her parents at 16 Kulp Avenue, Wilkes-Barre.^[2] She moved with her parents to Horseheads, Chemung, New York when she was ten. She attended Horseheads Central High School in Horseheads and played on the girl's basketball team. She was only 4' 9-3/4" tall, with brown hair and blue-green eyes. She left school when her father died suddenly during her senior year, and she and her mother returned to Wilkes-Barre.^[3]

Her uncle, Don Weaver, taught her to drive after her father died. Her first car was a green 1964 Studebaker Lark, which she had until 1970.^[3]

Cora May never married. She worked as a seamstress in Wilkes-Barre, first for Little Miss Fashions, then for Empire Dress Company.^[3][4]

Cora May Wharton died of heart disease on 18 Jun 1985.^[1][5] She is buried with her parents and sister in Maple Hill Cemetery, New Section D, Lot 42D, in Hanover Township, Luzerne, Pennsylvania.^[1][6]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Wharton, Sylvia, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Interview by Star Kline, 3 January 1979; transcript privately held by interviewer.
2. ↑ "United States 1950 Census", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6X1M-CZ8Q : Thu Oct 05 11:15:13 UTC 2023), Entry for William Wharton and Sylvia Wharton, 1 April 1950.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Wharton, Cora May, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Interview by Star Kline, 3 January 1979; transcript privately held by interviewer.
4. ↑ "Cora May Wharton," obituary, The Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania), 19 June 1985, page 4B.
5. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JPDJ-G25 : 20 May 2014), Cora Wharton, Jun 1985; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
6. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 14 January 2018), memorial page for Cora May Wharton (20 Sep 1945–18 Jun 1985), Find A Grave: Memorial #32206665, citing Maple Hill Cemetery, Hanover, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Star Kline (contributor 46964248) .

Acknowledgement

This profile was originally created by Star Kline, Cora May's cousin, on 14 January 2018.