Almetta Alexander McQuarters of Plano, Texas passed away January 1, 2017, at the age of 84. She was born in Camden, South Carolina 84 years ago where she attended public elementary school. Her family relocated to New York where she graduated from high school and the Manhattan School of Dental Assistants. She was blessed with great parents, a loving sister, a devoted (and as she described quite handsome) husband, a beautiful and caring daughter, a good son-in-law, and two good grandsons. To all this, she was blessed.
After thirty-one years of service, she retired from NYNEX Corporation as a staff operation manager. Her husband an electronic engineer, retired shortly thereafter from Pan American Airlines. The winters being cold and snowy, they decided they had enough shoveling snow, and it was time to move near their daughter and her family where the weather was warm most of the time. So in the year of 2000, they relocated to Plano, Texas. She served several years as a mentor in PISD elementary schools where her daughter worked as the school's office manager.
Grace Outreach Center Church in Plano is where she met manyfriends. Almetta spiritually fed and joyfully served in the greeter’s ministry. She was blessed to have found an additional group of friends who she looked forward to seeing every time she stepped inside the door of the Senior Recreation Center. It was a beautiful and safe environment which made it possible to learn something new and participate in so many activities. Most of all, Almetta loved greeting and seeing people come together, enjoying a great opportunity. As she chatted and got to know so many people, she just could not keep herself from smiling and many times, laughing. That was so good!
She loved lunching with her two grown and single grandsons; listening to music, the old goodies of the'50s, '60s and '70s; the sound of the organ; reading poetry and gardening. Almetta designed and planted her backyard mostly with flowers and shrubs. This year she had a small veggie garden from which Almetta had already shared a variety of peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes. She was looking forward with great anticipation to harvesting bountifully from the fig tree that was planted three years ago! Almetta was always reminded there were seasons of life as Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 tells us everything has its time.
She became a widow in 2005 and daughterless in 2010, yet she found that time still ruled. No matter how slowly or quickly it reaches the intended goal, all is played out to the very end. Almetta chose to keep smiling, reaching out to others, and trusting the Almighty God who loves us all.
Her desire was “when I am no longer here on earth, those who knew me will say, "It was a joy and a blessing to have known her."
She is survived by her two grandsons, Jason Gibson of McKinney, Texas and Daniel Gibson of Frisco, Texas; nieces, Lisa Griffith Ashford and Nina Griffith of McLain, Texas; nephew, Neil Griffith, Jr. of New York; sister, Lillie Griffith (Neal, Sr.); aunt, Wanda Lewis and husband Robert of Plano, Texas; and her fur child “Smokey”.
Almetta was preceded in death by her husband, Myles Emmet McQuarters, daughter, Sandra Gibson, and niece, Wanda Michelle Griffith.
A memorial service will be held 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, January 11, 2017, at Grace Outreach Center Chapel, 5000 West Parker Road, Plano, Texas 75093. A 1:00 p.m. graveside service is to follow at Ridgeview Memorial Park in Allen, Texas. The family will receive friends during a visitation on Tuesday evening at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Allen, Texas from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.