John Whitehead

1923 - 2020

John Whitehead 1923—2020
John Burpee Whitehead, age 97, died peacefully on September 15, 2020 at home in Rockford, Illinois. He was born on September 10, 1923 in Rockford, the son of Loren Leach Whitehead and Harriet Burpee Whitehead. He attended Walker Elementary and Roosevelt Junior High Schools and was a graduate of West High School, where he was president and salutatorian of the class of 1941, the school's first graduating class. He was a graduate of Northwestern University in 1947 after having served three years in the U. S. Navy during World War II as a Lt. (jg) on the PGM-32, destroying mines in the Okinawa area. John's ship was among the earliest to enter Tokyo Bay upon the surrender of Japan, sweeping the bay of mines before the entry of the larger ships, including the U.S.S. Missouri on which the surrender ceremony took place.
At Northwestern John met his future wife, Beverley Jean Williams of Scarsdale, New York, and they were married for 68 years from 1946 until Beverley's death in 2015. They returned to Rockford in 1947 where he joined his father in the family real estate firm, Whitehead, Inc., which had been founded by his grandfather, Joel B. Whitehead, in 1891. In 1998 he sold the 107-year old firm, then one of the largest in the Rockford area, and retired.
John served as President of the Rockford Board of Realtors in 1961, was elected Commissioner of the Rockford Park District from 1970-1983, served as a board member and Chair of Rockford Memorial Hospital from 1967-1993, and was a member of the Board of Trustees of Rockford College (now Rockford University), including a term as Chair, from1963-1993. In 1983 the College awarded him an honorary L.H.D. degree for his lengthy service. He was a member of Second Congregational Church, Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, and the Downtown Rockford Rotary Club, of which he was a Paul Harris Fellow and President in 1971. Former memberships included Rockford Country Club, the University Club of Rockford, and the Midday Club.
John is survived by three children (James S. Whitehead (Marilyn Mead) of Burr Ridge, IL; Marcia W. Cole of Marietta, GA; and Patricia (Kenneth) Huizenga of Chilton, WI), five grandchildren (Jennifer (William) Frank of Downers Grove, IL; John A. Whitehead (Colleen) of Indian Head Park, IL; Brooke (Todd) Kerstetter of Marietta, GA; Jack Huizenga of College Station, PA; and Laura Huizenga of London, England), and five great-grandchildren (Anniston Righter, Madeleine and Maxwell Frank, and Lauren and Brandon Whitehead). He also is survived by sisters Ruth Nicholas (Daniel) and Jean Reese, both of Rockford, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. John was predeceased by his wife, his parents, son-in-law Raymond Cole, grandson Graham Cole, daughter-in-law Pamela Miller Whitehead, and brother-in-law R. Page Reese.
John was vitally interested in the health and growth of the Rockford Community and could be counted on as a participant and contributor to many of its organizations and developments. His interests also included family genealogy, historical and biographical reading, gardening, computing, the Chicago Cubs and Northwestern Wildcats, and extensive travel with good friends and family, enhanced by 22 years of happy retirement. The family wishes to express its thanks and gratitude to John's many caregivers from Visiting Angels of Rockford and the Mercyhealth at Home hospice team for their outstanding professional care and support during John's last year.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in John's name to Rockford University, 5050 E. State St., Rockford 61108, and to Northwestern University, 1201 Davis St., Evanston, IL 60208.
Private burial services will be observed at a future date to be determined by the family, and John's ashes will be buried in the Whitehead family plot in Willwood Cemetery.