Services will be held tomorrow (Wednesday) for retired Grace Brethren pastor, Robert Whited. He died Friday, February 8 in Washington state. His obituary appears below.
Robert Dale Whited, 89, of Sumner, WA, passed away Friday, February 8, 2013. He was married 66 years to Jeannette M. Whited. He was born November 9, 1923, in Lincoln, NE. At the age of 12 he moved to Sunnyside, WA where he attended school until his senior year. He graduated from L.A.P.C. High School in Los Angeles, CA in 1942.
He graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 1956 with a BA in History. He then went on to graduate from Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, IN with a Masters of Divinity in 1961. From there he served in various pastorates with the Grace Brethren Churches in North English, IA, Cheyenne, WY, San Jose, CA, York, PA, Kansas City, MO, and Beaumont, CA.
He served his country during WWII throughout the South Pacific where he participated in the battles of Guam, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. He also served during the Korean War where he was stationed in Ketchikan, AK commanding the Search and Rescue teams of the 11th Coast Guard District. His medals include: Combat Action Ribbon (Iwo Jima), American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5), World War II Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal (Asia clasp).
He enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles, traveling, geography, history, music, and playing table and word games with family and friends.
Survivors include his wife, Jeannette; daughters Karen Spiker (Jack) of Cheyenne, WY; Cathi Fanning (Bob) of Draper, UT; Barbara Warren (Roger) of Orting, WA; Jean Fitzpatrick (Steve) of Auburn, WA; sisters Winifred Mann of Honolulu, HI and Lucille Rumford of Spokane, WA. His grandchildren include: Jeff Spiker, Scott Spiker, Brendan Waller, Trent Waller, Kenny Slenker, Curt Warren, Misty Howard, Sean Fitzpatrick, and Lauren Fitzpatrick, and 15 great grandchildren, as well as many nephews and nieces. We will miss you Whitey, Dad and G-Pa.
Services will be held at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, WA on Wednesday, February 13, 2013, where he will be buried with military honors.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Paralyzed Vets of America in his memory at www.pva.org.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:7-8
