Maritia Shaw Allcorn Leath

Maritia Shaw Allcorn Leath passed from this earth and into her Savior’s presence on Sunday, May 25, 2014, at the age of ninety-one. She was a resident at the Sodalis Elder Living Center in Waco having relocated from Arlington, Texas, one year ago. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, May 31, at 11:00am at Davis Morris Funeral Home Chapel in Brownwood, Texas. She will be laid to rest at East Lawn Memorial Park in Early, Texas at a later date.

Maritia was born November 23, 1922 in Frost, Texas to Rufus F. and Mina Gray Shaw. During her junior high years the family moved to Brownwood where she and her two sisters, Lillian and Jackie often entertained church and civic groups with their cheerful singing. She was voted Brownwood High School Homecoming Queen her senior year and graduated as a BHS Lion in 1940.

Maritia then enrolled in Howard Payne College where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Business and Voice in 1944. There, too, she was selected Homecoming Queen in 1942. Fifty-eight years later the University honored her as the Coming Home Queen, an honor she also received from Brownwood High in 1990.

On August 12, 1946 Maritia married her high school sweetheart, Baylor Law School graduate and WWII veteran, Bill Allcorn. Their union was blessed with two children, Hopie in 1949 and Stansel Lee in 1954. The Allcorns remained in Brownwood where Bill served as District Attorney from 1950-1957. In 1957 the Allcorns moved to Austin where Bill served as Texas’ Land Commissioner until 1961. The family returned to Brownwood where Mr. Allcorn succumbed to brain cancer August 24, 1962, at age 38. Upon her husband’s passing, Maritia secured her real estate license and she and her father established Shaw-Allcorn Real Estate in Brownwood.

On December 21, 1964, Maritia married Dr. Paul Brooks Leath who was then Pastor of First Baptist Church, Fresno, CA. In 1966, the Leaths moved to La Palma, CA, as Dr. Leath became Pastor of Truett Memorial Baptist Church of Long Beach. Ten years later, Paul and Maritia moved to Houston where Dr. Leath was Professor of Religion at Houston Baptist University and Maritia worked in the school’s Office of Development. While in Houston, the Leaths were active members of West University Baptist Church. Upon Dr. Leath’s death in 2003, Maritia moved to Arlington, TX to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Hopie and Ricky Campbell. There she was active in the Mayfield Road Baptist Church.

Maritia was loved by all who knew her. She will be remembered for her generous, kind, forgiving, Christ-like spirit, her radiant personality, infectious smile and her beautiful singing voice. She had a passionate love for her Savior, Jesus Christ, and for her six children, ten grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren.