Richard Byron Whitaker
Richard Byron Whitaker
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Richard Whitaker Obituary
Richard was born on August 4th, 1951, in Conroe, TX. He was the son of Rick and June Whitaker, a geologist and a schoolteacher. He spent his childhood in many different states before graduating from Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport, LA in 1969.
Richard worked his way through college to earn a bachelor's in finance and later his M.B.A at The University of Texas in Austin. He worked in the banking industry for 20 years in the Houston area before returning to school to obtain his PhD in Finance at the University of Houston. After graduating, he secured a professorship at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL.
Richard met his wife Peggy on a blind date of sorts in January of 1994. Both were short in stature, four-eyed, and pursuing advanced degrees while also working. He quickly won her over and they were married on November 19th, 1994, in Houston.
Although Richard was a whiz at all things finance, he will be most remembered as a great father and caring husband. He was immensely proud of his children Kate and Richard Ryan. He enjoyed coaching their little league teams, helping with math homework, and teaching them to lead successful lives.
Richard retired from Eastern Illinois University in 2017, moved back to Texas immediately, and has enjoyed a life of leisure ever since. He lived a good life, full of many blessings and U.T. football games. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
Richard is survived by his wife, Mary Margaret "Peggy" Parker; his daughter Kate Whitaker and her husband Jake Armstrong; his son Richard R. Whitaker and his fiancée Jessica Harsono; his brother Barry B. Whitaker of Houston, TX, and Tiki, a bossy 4-year-old dog.
A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 4:00pm at First United Methodist Church, 129 W. Hutchison St. in San Marcos. Visitation will begin at 3:00pm. Relatives and friends are invited.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Richard's name to the First United Methodist Church. Online Donations can be made at www.fumcsm.org/giving
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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323 N Comanche, San Marcos, TX 78666
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