Dr. Robert Simeon Whitelaw Jr

Atlanta, GA - Dr. Robert Simeon Whitelaw Jr., 66, of Atlanta, Georgia, passed away Friday, June 21, 2013 in Highlands, North Carolina. A loving father and grandfather, he was affectionately known as "Gramps" by his grandchildren. His eldest son, Robert Simeon Whitelaw III (Michelle) and their three children, Mary Margaret, Peyton Virginia and Robert Simeon IV, reside in Oxford; his middle son, John Christopher Whitelaw (Sofia) and their two children, Julia Correia and Francisco Correia reside in Long Island City, New York; his youngest son, Benjamin Anderson Whitelaw, resides in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Dr. Whitelaw was born September 11, 1946, in Tampa, Florida, the son of Robert Simeon Whitelaw and June Clements Whitelaw and the grandson of Roy Smith Whitelaw and Bessie Relle Chandler Whitelaw, of Kingman, Kansas, and Ellie Clements and James Clements, of Tampa, Florida, all of whom preceded him in death. He is survived by two siblings, a brother, James Roy Whitelaw, of Lawrenceville, Georgia (Cathy) and a sister, Jean Bridges Bell (Tommy), of Auburn, Georgia; a niece, Jennifer Whitelaw Samonsky (Jay), of Buford, Georgia and a nephew, James Roy Whitelaw Jr., of Atlanta, Georgia. He is also survived by his former wife, Laura Anderson Whitelaw Shearer, of Knoxville, Tennessee. Dr. Whitelaw graduated from Southwest DeKalb High School in Decatur, Georgia, Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia. He interned at Baylor University Hospital in Dallas, Texas, and completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at the Medical College of Georgia. During his residency he was honored to spend a term at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Center in Headington, Oxford, England. After completing his medical training, he served in the United States Air Force attaining the rank of Major. He was honorably discharged with a letter of commendation for his service at which time he entered private practice as a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon. Dr. Whitelaw specialized in the area of Sports Medicine which led to his service as the team physician for the Chattanooga Lookouts as well as numerous high school teams in Georgia and Tennessee. After retirement, he found plenty to fill his spare time. Besides spending time with his children and grandchildren, he became active in politics. He and his beloved English Bulldog "Abigail" competed in agility trials. He loved to travel, but mostly enjoyed relaxing at his lake home in Highlands, North Carolina. Services will be Friday, June 28, 2013, at Sosebee Funeral Home in Canton, Georgia at 12 p.m. EDST. The family will greet friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Interment will follow immediately after the service at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia. Dr. Whitelaw was a life-long Methodist and the family requests that in lieu of flowers memorials be made to his home church: St. Mark United Methodist Church, 781 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30308. Sosebee Funeral Home, Canton, GA is honored to serve the family. Sosebeefuneralhome.com 770-479-2131.