John K. Whitfield Ph.D.

John K. Whitfield, Ph.D., 82, of Fairview Beach, Virginia, formerly of Raleigh, died July 27, 2005. Born in Clinton, NC, in1922, John spent much of his boyhood in Asheboro, N.C., and enrolled in engineering at N.C. State shortly before World War II. His studies were interrupted by service in the Army, but he resumed his education and completed his engineering degree in 1947. He then became an instructor at N. C. State while pursuing a Master's degree in mechanical engineering. He married Clara Graham in 1951, and raised two sons, during which time he earned a Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He served as a leader in the Boy Scouts and as an elder in the Presbyterian Church in the 1960s and 1970s. After Clara's death in 1972, he volunteered with the American Cancer Society. In 1983 he married Doris Lindsey.
Throughout his distinguished teaching and research career John was known for his dedication to students and passion for teaching. His senior structural design class wasespecially successful because it challenged students to work with engineering companies to develop innovative solutions to experimental design problems. His students were his pride and joy and he seemed to take more satisfaction in their successes (pre- and post-graduation) than he did in his own achievements. John was involved with various facets of campus life and served on the faculty senate for many years. In 1985 he retired after 38 years in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, including a brief stint as interim department head. John was almost as passionate about tennis as he was about teaching. He and Doris played doubles and singles tennis with friends and colleagues at the N. C. State University Club (formerly known as the Faculty Club) for many years.
John and Doris retired to Fairview Beach, VA, where they were active in conservation and community service groups, including the Sierra Club, the Chesapeake Bay Wetlands Board, Friends of the Rappahannock andseveral other organizations in the Fredericksburg area. His health began to fail in the last year, and he succumbed to a cerebral hemorrhage after a cardiac catheterization procedure.
Survivors include: his wife, Doris; two sons, Graham Kerr Whitfield, Tucson, AZ, and James Bryan Whitfield, Champaign, IL; three daughters, Ann H. Wilson, Easton, MD, Susan H. Pizzo, Durham, NC and Margaret H. Fetty, Austin, TX; and five grandchildren.
A celebration of John's life will be held at on Friday, Sept. 30. Please call 919-782-6323 for details.
Those wishing to pay tribute to John are invited to send gifts to N.C.State Engineering Foundation (specify John K. Whitfield Endowment), 227 Page Hall, Campus Box 7901, Raleigh NC, 27695.