Obituary
Paul A. Whitaker, 84, died Friday, March 21, 2008 at the Sabetha Hospital. He was born July 21, 1923 at Judith Gap, MT. His parents were Henry and Mary Hendrick Whitaker. When Paul was just a toddler his parents moved to Green River, WY; then to Kansas. They lived on farms near Soldier. Paul attended country schools in Jackson County and the Soldier Grade School.
In 1936 when he was thirteen, he moved with his parents to Washington where he attended school for awhile in Wanatchee and worked at picking fruit. They moved to Everett, WA, where he attended junior high school and worked for a winery.
When he was twenty, in August 1943 he joined the Navy. After boot camp in Farragut, ID, he was sent to Chicago, IL, where he attended the University of Chicago Radio School. He spent two years on a ship in the Pacific as a radioman. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in March 1946.
He came to Kansas and farmed with his dad in the Soldier and Corning areas. In 1947 he and his brother Lyle came to Wetmore and bought a blacksmith shop. After working in that for a few years, he worked as a welder in shops in Salina, Topeka, and Kansas City. He worked at the Wengers plant in Sabetha for ten years. He and his brother, Lyle, started a shop in Wetmore known as Machine Design and MFG Company. They built parts for extruders. He drove a school bus for a few years, and then devoted his time to gardening.
He married Mary Shaffer Wade in 1955. She died in May 1989. He married Geneva Reece Shumaker on July 14, 1990. Preceding him in death, besides his wife Mary, were his parents, his sister Edna, his brothers Eldon and Lyle, and sons Jerry and Terry Wade.
He is survived by his wife Geneva, a daughter Judith Siragusa and her husband Tony of Bonner Springs, KS, a daughter-in-law Georgia Wade of St. Joseph, MO , eight grandchildren, several great-grandchildren, several great great grandchild and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. Inurnment will be at the Wetmore Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the American Cancer Society c/o Mercer Funeral Home, Box 270, Holton, KS 66436.
In 1936 when he was thirteen, he moved with his parents to Washington where he attended school for awhile in Wanatchee and worked at picking fruit. They moved to Everett, WA, where he attended junior high school and worked for a winery.
When he was twenty, in August 1943 he joined the Navy. After boot camp in Farragut, ID, he was sent to Chicago, IL, where he attended the University of Chicago Radio School. He spent two years on a ship in the Pacific as a radioman. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in March 1946.
He came to Kansas and farmed with his dad in the Soldier and Corning areas. In 1947 he and his brother Lyle came to Wetmore and bought a blacksmith shop. After working in that for a few years, he worked as a welder in shops in Salina, Topeka, and Kansas City. He worked at the Wengers plant in Sabetha for ten years. He and his brother, Lyle, started a shop in Wetmore known as Machine Design and MFG Company. They built parts for extruders. He drove a school bus for a few years, and then devoted his time to gardening.
He married Mary Shaffer Wade in 1955. She died in May 1989. He married Geneva Reece Shumaker on July 14, 1990. Preceding him in death, besides his wife Mary, were his parents, his sister Edna, his brothers Eldon and Lyle, and sons Jerry and Terry Wade.
He is survived by his wife Geneva, a daughter Judith Siragusa and her husband Tony of Bonner Springs, KS, a daughter-in-law Georgia Wade of St. Joseph, MO , eight grandchildren, several great-grandchildren, several great great grandchild and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. Inurnment will be at the Wetmore Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the American Cancer Society c/o Mercer Funeral Home, Box 270, Holton, KS 66436.
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