Oressa Hastings Delaney

Oressa Hastings Delaney, 96, of Canyon died Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009.

Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Kevin Deckard, associate pastor of Polk Street United Methodist Church in Amarillo, and the Rev. John McClean, pastor, officiating. Private burial will be in Dreamland Cemetery by Brooks Funeral Directors.

Oressa Naomi Hastings Delaney was born April 25, 1913, in Clarendon to William Silas and Elizabeth Hunt Hastings. At the age of 5, her family moved to Canyon, where she lived until her marriage in 1938. She was a 1931 graduate of Canyon High School and graduated as valedictorian of her class. She graduated from West Texas State in Canyon in 1937 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She married Richard K. "Dick" Delaney on July 14, 1938, in Oklahoma City. Throughout her life, Oressa taught English and other subjects in several school districts in the Texas Panhandle, including Wilson School in Randall County, Booker, Hereford, Childress County schools, Estelline and Clarendon. At the time of her retirement in 1977, she had been the school librarian for Clarendon schools for several years. Oressa and Dick moved to Canyon in 1986.

Throughout her life, Mrs. Delaney derived great satisfaction from keeping in touch with her former students. The accomplishments and successes of her pupils and their continuing friendship was one of the great pleasures of her later life. She also enjoyed attending reunions at the various schools where she had taught during the years.

She was a lifelong Methodist and a member of First United Methodist Church in Canyon, where she was a member of the Murray and Crusaders Sunday school classes. Oressa taught Sunday school classes for many years in several of the communities where she and Dick lived. She was a lifetime member of United Methodist Women, a member of the 1926 Book Club in Clarendon and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She was also a lifetime member of Texas Retired Teachers. As long as her health allowed her to actively participate, she volunteered at the IHS Care Center in Canyon, helping with the weekly worship service sponsored by United Methodist Church.

Several years ago, Oressa spent several months writing her personal memoir - a remembrance of her life that will be a treasured possession of generations that follow.

One of the major pleasures of Oressa's life was her family.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dick, in 1989.

Survivors include a son, Larry H. Delaney and wife Dee of Claude; a daughter, Rita Wynn and husband Larry D. of Canyon; four grandchildren, Janice Fagan and husband Randy of Broken Arrow, Okla., Janell "Jo" Deckard and husband Randy of Amarillo, Christi Wynn of Canyon and Chad Wynn and wife Crystal of Claude; six great-grandchildren, Steele Beatty of Oklahoma City, Briana Fagan of Broken Arrow, Ashley Wade and husband Jared of Norman, Okla., Megan Deckard of Amarillo and Tinsley Wynn and Aiden Wynn, both of Claude; a nephew, Jimmy Delaney and wife Ellen of West Allis, Wisc.; a niece, Bryna Schuerle of Fayette City, Pa.; and numerous cousins from the Hastings family.

The family suggests memorials be to Mission Fund or Church Library Fund, First United Methodist Church, 1818 Fourth Ave., Canyon, TX 79015.

The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today at the funeral home chapel.

Published in the Amarillo (TX) Globe-News on 4 Nov 2009.