Gerald Redden Whitcomb, age 86 died November 28, 2016 as a result of a fight with cancer.
He and his twin brother George H. were born into the large family of George Louis and Enid Alzine Redden Whitcomb at the family farm south of Cedar Point in the Kansas Flint Hills on April 29, 1930.
He is survived by his wife Kay LaCotts Whitcomb, daughters Susan Whitcomb of Alexandria, VA, and Jane Whitcomb of Maumelle, AR, a younger sister Rhoda Whitcomb of Forney, TX, a younger brother Marcus of Lincoln, NE, and two granddaughters.
After high school, he attended engineering school at Kansas State U where he was a member of Sigma Tau and Steel Ring honorary engineering fraternities and TKE social fraternity. He also served as president of the KSU agricultural engineering student association.
After college, he joined the Air Force and flew fighter aircraft for 6 years, then was a service manager for Layne-Arkansas Company and a field test engineer for Massey-Ferguson and for Oliver Corporation. He taught mechanics at the DeWitt Rice Belt Vocational School, was a customer engineer for IBM and became a certified FAA aircraft mechanic. He taught FAA Airframe and Powerplant courses at SAU-Tech in Camden, AR, for 5 years and continued to study and teach related technical courses during that time.
In 1966, with little formal training, he accepted a teaching position in science and math at DeWitt High School. He later said that he was never at home in the classroom and would rather be fixing the heating and cooling systems. In spite of that and or reasons not easily explained, he said he felt an intense obligation to every student who walked into his classroom.
In his later years he was appointed chairman of the DeWitt Municipal Airport Commission where he was involved in a number of building projects and in the upkeep of the facilities. In 2014, the municipal airport was renamed Whitcomb Field. He was active in the Lions Club, sang in the Chancel Choir at Methodist Church , taught Sunday School, and continued to fly his "Puddle-Jumper" past age 86 when he needed help to climb into the cockpit.
A memorial service will be December 2, 2016 at 10:00 at the First United Methodist Church in DeWitt with internment in the DeWitt Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the DeWitt First United Methodist Church, 608 S. Grandview Dr., DeWitt, AR 72042 or to Habitat for Humanity, P.O. Box 6439, Americus, GA, one of many organizations which he helped to support.
Cremation arrangements by Essex Funeral Home. www.essexfuneralhome.com
