Margie Pistole Leverett

Margie Pistole Leverett, 85 of Abilene passed away on January 2, 2013 at a local retirement center. There will be a visitation on Sunday January 6th from 3:00-5:00 pm at Piersall Benton Funeral Directors 733 Butternut. A service will be held at the Piersall Benton Chapel on Monday, January 7th at 10:00 am with a private family burial to follow at Elmwood.

Margie Raye Barnhart Pistole Leverett was born December 6, 1927, to Raymond Harrison Barnhart and Ruth Curlee Barnhart of Limestone County, Texas. After graduating as valedictorian from Ben Hur High School, she attended North Texas State University on an academic scholarship before transferring to Abilene Christian College (now Abilene Christian University), where she earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She also did advanced graduate work at Texas Tech University.
She married Wayman E. Pistole in 1948, who was a school teacher, administrator, counselor and coach. They lived at Clyde, Vernon, Munday, and Noodle before returning to Abilene in 1960. She and Wayman adopted Jimmy in 1965 and his sister Jennifer four years later. They were blessed with three granddaughters, who spent many happy times with “Mema and Pepa”.

Margie worked as secretary and administrative assistant for twelve years before beginning her teaching career. She taught at Madison Junior High and Abilene Christian Schools before joining the faculty at Abilene Christian University. She taught in the College of Business at ACU for 23 years.

She was a member of the “W” Club in college and then as a teacher took an active part in several professional organizations at the local, state, and national levels. She received a Delta Kappa Gamma Scholarship in 1984 and was selected District 14 Business Teacher of the Year in 1986.

After retiring from ACU in 1990, Margie was active as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, Hendrick Hospice, and various church activities. One of her favorite recreational activities was camping with the Good Sam travel club, where she served several offices, including twice as president. After moving to Christian Village, she added various jobs there to her volunteer work.

Margie was a long-time member of the Church of Christ, where she taught fourth-grade Bible classes and ministered in various ways through Care Groups, Motherly Love, Bread for the Journey, and Ladies Bible Class. She was a member of the Hillcrest Church of Christ.

After her first husband, Wayman Pistole, died in 1997, she married a long-time family friend, Vernon Ray Leverett, in 1998. They had five happy years together, helping take care of each other and enjoying the friendship of Good Sam members, neighbors, and fellow Christians, especially those at Christian Village.

In addition to her parents and both husbands, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Carl Eugene Barnhart and Bobby Lynn Barnhart.
Survivors include a son, James Jay Pistole; a daughter, Jennifer Tedford; granddaughters, Lucinda Norris, Tiffany Beach and husband Charlie, and Christie Tedford; great-grandchildren, Christopher Norris, Matthew Norris, Malia Tedford, Joshua Beach, Julie Beach, and Autumn Tedford-Jones; brothers, Landon Barnhart and wife Hazel, Hugh Barnhart and wife Mary; sister-in-law Dorothy Barnhart; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins; and a special step-granddaughter, Shana Ford and husband James, and their sons, Trevor, Trent, and Tanner Ford.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.