Willie Edna "Tiny" Tarbutton

Willie Edna “Tiny” Tarbutton
Mulhearn Funeral Home
West Monroe, Louisiana

Funeral Services for Miss Willie Edna “Tiny” Tarbutton, 87, the fourth daughter born to the union of Janie Fleming and William Anderson Tarbutton of Cheniere, will be held at 10:00 AM Wednesday, July 29, 2009 in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home, West Monroe with Rev. John Albright and Elder Johnny Guice officiating. Interment will follow at Cheniere Baptist Church Cemetery.

Miss Tarbutton was born January 16, 1922 and passed away on July 26, 2009. She was preceded in death by her parents and three sisters, Ruby Kramberg, Annie Cherry, and Mary Francis Tarbutton; and dear friend and fellow teacher, Mrs. Margaret Baskin Franks.

She is survived by a nephew, William Joseph Kramberg and wife, Patricia; a great nephew, Jason Kramberg; and dear friend and former student, Don Smith and wife, Shirley.

Miss Tarbutton played basketball for Ouachita Parish High School where she graduated in 1939 and attended Northeast Junior College (now ULM) for two years before transferring to Normal College (Northwestern at Natchitoches); she graduated in 1943 and received a Masters degree from the University of Arkansas in 1948.

After graduating from Normal, she was hired by the Franklin Parish School Board to teach social studies and physical education and coach girl’s basketball at Baskin High School, a Class B school. The basketball teams coached by Miss Tarbutton were phenomenal. Mrs. Franks assisted by keeping the scorebook and helping to take care of the teams, serving as both chauffeur and chaperone. The team won a state championship in 1945, and was the state runner up in 1947, losing to Ogden, another Franklin Parish School. Beginning with 1948, and ending with 1955, Miss Tarbutton’s teams won eight consecutive state championships and 216 consecutive victories, a national record that has yet to be broke. Only two games were lost during this eight year period, both to Winnsboro High School, a Class A school. A second-place state championship was also won in 1956; the loss was to Mangham by two points, a school only three miles from Baskin, just across the parish line.

Miss Tarbutton relinquished her coaching duties in 1977 and retired, after 37 years of teaching, in 1980. During her teaching career Miss Tarbutton greatly influenced the lives of many boys and girls. She taught them to do their very best, both on the court and in the classroom. This work ethic served them well in life. Her reference book, Baskin Heritage, was always by her side so that as she heard of accomplishments of her former students, she could refresh her memory of them. She was an active member of Union Presbyterian Church, a caring daughter and sister, loving aunt and good neighbor. She resided in Baskin, the only place she ever taught, until 2001, when failing health forced her to move into assisted living in West Monroe.

Honors received by Miss Tarbutton include induction into four Halls of Fame: Louisiana High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame, Louisiana Sports Writers Hall of Fame, National High School Hall of Fame, and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Pallbearers will be Larry Jackson, Bruce Jackson, Tony Jackson, Brad Jackson, Don Smith, and Levy Lord.

Visitation will be from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM Tuesday at Mulhearn Funeral Home, West Monroe.