Dr. John Riley "Coach" Whitaker

Visitation will be today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and funeral service at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 30, at First Baptist Church of Glencoe for Dr. John Riley "Coach" Whitaker, Gadsden. Graveside service will follow at Crestwood Cemetery. Coach Whitaker passed away August 27 after a hard fought battle with cancer. The Revs. Robert E. Hall and Keith Hudson will conduct the service. Riley was saved at an early age and was a member of First Baptist of Glencoe. Crestwood Memorial Funeral Home will direct the services.
Dr. Whitaker was a loving husband, father and grandfather, a man of great compassion and patience, and always ready with a joke, kind word or smile. A native of Campbellton, Florida, he began his athletic career at Campbellton High School, where he was a starter for the varsity basketball team his freshman year. He played center and was the leading scorer and rebounder for a team that won a seven-year string of state championships. Whitaker was voted MVP for three consecutive years.
Following high school, Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Florida, awarded him a full basketball scholarship. He was a starting guard for a team that won the state tournament and played in the national tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas. He received a two-year full scholarship to Livingston State College, where he averaged 15.6 points per game and was named MVP his senior year.
He went on to complete his Master's and Ed.S degrees from the University of Alabama and was an avid "Roll Tide" fan. He received his Doctorate in Education from Nova University.
Whitaker's coaching career began at Pinehill, Alabama, followed by two years as varsity basketball coach at Thomasville High School. He was named Coach of the Year in Clark County in 1963 and 1964. In 1965-66, he was varsity basketball coach at Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville, Alabama. He was named Coach of the Year in Jefferson County after leading the Hewitt Huskies to a 23-5 season.
In 1966, Whitaker was hired at Gadsden State Community College, where he began the men's basketball, baseball and golf programs, serving as the first coach of these sports. He coached the men's basketball team from 1966-1975 and had the distinct honor of being the only men's basketball coach, thus far, at Gadsden State to win the State and Regional Tournaments and take his team to the National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas, in 1969-70.
After his coaching career, Whitaker continued his duties at Gadsden State as Athletic/Academic Director of the HPR Division until his retirement in 2007. He was inducted into the Alabama Junior College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. In honor of his accomplishments and his love for Gadsden State Community College, officials named the swimming pool after him.
He was a modest, unassuming person who served as a role model for athletes and coaches. He was well-known as a man of character and integrity and a "gentleman" in the true sense of the word. His name is synonymous with the athletic program at Gadsden State.
Along with his family and sports, Whitaker loved the outdoors. When not watching his grandchildren's sports activities, he could often be found at his horse farms in Glencoe and Webster's Chapel, or on his lawn mower, tractor or backhoe.
Whitaker was preceded in death by his parents, C.W. and Ettie Whitaker.
He is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Marie (Singley) Whitaker; two daughters, Donna (Jeff) Ingram and Kimberly (Todd) Ginn. He has three granddaughters, Brennan Ingram, Ellie Ginn and Riley Ginn; and one grandson, Brandt Ingram. He is also survived by one sister, Nira (Sid) Jones; and nieces and nephews, Lucy (Greg) Glover, Jennifer (Dan) Boulton and Brian (Kelly) Jones.
Pallbearers will be Joe Brothers, Bill Entrekin, Brian Jones, Charles Morgan, James Parrish and Don Richey. Honorary pallbearers will be all former basketball players and managers and longtime friends, Lit Dekle and Aaron Todd.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Riley Whitaker Memorial Scholarship Fund, Gadsden State Community College, P.O. Box 227, Gadsden, AL 35902-0227.
Online condolences may be made at crestwoodmemorialfh.com.