John Lilly

© Amarillo Globe News

June 20, 2004

Used With Permission

John Lilly, 94, of Amarillo died Sunday, June 13, 2004.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in First Presbyterian Church. Entombment will be in Llano Mausoleum by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia St.

Mr. Lilly, restaurant owner and longtime resident of Amarillo, died in San Antonio on Sunday, June 13, 2004. He lived a long and full life. As a young man, he sought his fortunes in the gold and silver mines near Silver City, N.M., in the Mogollon Mountains. After working in the mines for several years, he moved to Fort Worth where he worked at the Worth Hotel soda fountain as a soda jerk. It was there that he met his future wife, Cora. They married in 1936 in Amarillo and established their home here.

In 1941, they opened the Arcade Cafi in the Amarillo Building at Third Avenue and Polk Street. With John taking care of the cooking, kitchen and supplies and Cora taking care of cashiering, seating and accounts, the restaurant soon became a thriving business. It increased from a 32-seat cafi to a 150-seat cafe which served the downtown business community.

John's lifelong love of cooking began at his grandmother's side in the family farmhouse five miles south of Sayre, Okla., where she taught him how to make spice cake using a wood burning stove. Even before he and Cora opened the Arcade Cafi, he further honed his cooking skills by apprenticing with a number of chefs. John was most famous for his pies, which he made fresh every morning, averaging 40 to 50 pies per day. During cold weather, people flocked to the Arcade to have his homemade chili and cornbread. He also took great pride in his blue-plate lunch, which he felt was the best in town.

John and Cora retired from the restaurant business in the early 1970s, devoting their time to traveling and family.

John served in the Navy during World War II as a naval cook in San Diego, Calif.

John had a generous spirit, a love of people and a special devotion to family. He will be missed so very much.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 56 years in 1993; his father, Carroll Otis Lilly in 1918; his mother, Sarah Inez Lilly in 1979; and two sisters, Lorene "Sis" Whittington and Elizabeth "E" Heising.

Survivors include a daughter, Cora Jo Kerns and husband, Robert, of San Antonio; three grandsons, Dr. Brent Kerns and wife, Julie, of Tyler, Carter Kerns of Charleston, S.C., and Hung Tran and wife, Maria, of Lake Jackson; a niece, Joyce Garcia and husband, Art, of Albuquerque, N.M.; four nephews, Kim Lilly and wife, Garlyn of Paso Robles, Calif., Dr. Kenneth Whittington and wife, Alice, of Oklahoma City and Frank Lilly and Mike Lilly, both of Round Rock; a special great-niece, Linda Whittington; and many other special great-nieces and nephews.

The family suggests memorials be to BSA Hospice, in care of Olivia's Angels, P.O. Box 950, Amarillo, TX 79176-0001 or to a favorite charity.

Visitation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

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