Thomas C. Whitaker

Thomas C. Whitaker

Thomas C. Whitaker died Tuesday, July 29, 2008, at the family residence, after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Tom was born in Staunton, Virginia, March 3, 1932, the son of the late Clarence B. Whitaker and Iva Hall Whitaker.

After graduating from Fish-burne Military Academy, Tom entered Randolph Macon Coll-ege. He left Randolph Macon to honorably serve his country in the United States Navy from 1952 until 1956. Following his military service, Tom married Suzanne Young. He graduated from the University of Rich-mond with a degree in busi-ness in 1960. Tom went on to run the family business of Whitaker Oil Company and founded a second company, Diverse Construction, both located in Waynesboro, Virginia. Tom and Suzanne retired to the Outer Banks of North Carolina where Tom became an avid tennis player and enjoyed the ocean.

Left to cherish the memory of Thomas Whitaker are his devo-ted wife of 50 years, Suzanne Whitaker; two sons, Thomas Y. Whitaker and daughter-in-law Julie Cholish of Ports-mouth, Virginia, and Todd G. Whitaker and daughter-in-law, Julie, of Barboursville, Virginia; and four grandsons, Zachary, Cole, Pierce and Luke. A first cousin, Grayson H. Via and his wife, Gail, also survive him.

There was a celebration of life for Thomas C. Whitaker 2 p.m. Friday, August 1, 2008, at the Outer Banks Presbyterian Church in Kill Devil Hills. The Reverend Dr. Andrew P. Martinez officiated. The family greeted friends at a reception following the service. Interment was private at Augusta Memorial Park in Waynesboro, Virginia.

Memorial donations honoring Tom may be made to Dare Home Health and Hospice at 109 Exeter Street, Manteo, North Carolina 27954 and/or The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network at 2141 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 7000, El Segundo, California 90245.

Gallop Funeral Services Inc. was entrusted with local arrangements.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www. gallopfuneralservices.com


This obituary was originally published in the News Virginian.