Lynette Whitley

Lynette Gunnell Whitley PORTSMOUTH - Lynette Gunnell Whitley, 78, died in her sleep Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009, in Fort Worth, Texas. A native of Portsmouth, she was a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School and earned her Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science degree in education from James Madison University. Mrs. Whitley worked at Merchants & Farmers Bank for six years before entering the field of education. In 1969, she began teaching accounting and data processing at Woodrow Wilson High School. In 1972, she and her colleagues launched the Portsmouth Public School System's Vocational Education program in business at I.C. Norcom High School, where she taught for 14 years. Mrs. Whitley became business education supervisor for the Portsmouth School Board and retired in 1996 as acting vocational education coordinator. For many years, she was an adjunct instructor at the Portsmouth Campus of Tidewater Community College. She held memberships in many professional and civic organizations. Mrs. Whitley was the daughter of H. Leroy Gunnell and Kathleen Brassell Gunnell. She is survived by her two children, her son, T. Alva Whitley of San Diego and her daughter, Karen W. McCarty, her husband J. Kenneth McCarty and their sons David and Stephen McCarty of Fort Worth, Texas. Mrs. Whitley is also survived by her brother, Douglas L. Gunnell, his wife Anne H. Gunnell and their sons Chris, Todd and Jeffrey of Winston-Salem and Wilmington, N.C., respectively. A graveside ceremony, celebration and honoring of her life will be held at the Olive Branch Cemetery in Portsmouth at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009. In lieu of flowers, her family suggests that memorial donations be made to her grandsons' school, Covenant Classical School Facilities Fund, 1701 Wind Star Way, Fort Worth, Texas 76108 to honor her long standing love of children's education or to Centenary United Methodist Church, Portsmouth. Loving Funeral Home, Churchland Chapel, is handling the arrangements and online condolences may be made at www.lovingfuneralhome.com.