Amy M. Sorrell

AMELIA SORRELL

Services for longtime educator, Amelia “Amy” Sorrell, 89 of Kilgore will be 10:00 am, Friday, February 21, 2020 at Rader Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend David Hampton officiating. Burial will follow at Pinecrest Cemetery, Troup, Texas. Mrs. Sorrell died Tuesday, February 18, 2020 in Longview, Texas.

She was born March 9, 1930 in Shiner, Texas to Domingo and Teofila Martinez. After graduating Sinton High School in 1949, she attended Texas State College for Women in Denton where she received her Bachelor of Science degree and later a Master of Education degree. She married Billy Dean Sorrell in 1955, moved to Dallas and was employed by DISD, where she taught for six years.

After moving to East Texas in 1967, she was employed by KISD, from which she retired in 1990, after teaching 23 years at Kilgore Heights, Elder, and Chandler Elementary Schools. In 1986 the Texas PTA awarded her an honorary life membership in recognition of distinguished service given to children and youth. She believed strongly on the value of education and in 1997 she and her husband established a Bill and Amy Sorrell Scholarship Fund at both First Baptist Church of Kilgore and Kilgore College. After her retirement she was involved with members of the Hispanic community in Kilgore, providing them with counseling and language translation assistance.

She is survived by her husband Billy Sorrell; two daughters, Lynda Sorrell, Cindy Petrofes and her husband, Pete; a son Andy Sorrell and his wife, Kathleen; a brother, Andres Martinez and his wife, Mingita; a sister-in-law, Pat Sorrell; three grandsons, Alex Sorrell, Marshall Cole, Ryan Cole and his wife, Alyssa; two great-grandchildren, Maelyn and Merritt Cole; numerous nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Sorrell was preceded in death by an infant son, David Dean Sorrell; brothers, Abel, Alfonso, Alfredo, Amador, Arturo and Aladino; sisters, Aurora Trevino and Adela Chapa; and her parents.

The family will receive friends at Rader Funeral Home, Thursday evening between 5:00 – 6:30 pm.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sorrell Scholarship at either the First Baptist Church of Kilgore or Kilgore College.