William “Bill” L. Whitaker, 72, of Scottsbluff, Nebraska went home to be with the Lord Tuesday, July 22, 2014 after several years of illness. A memorial service will be held Saturday August 2, 2014 at 10:00 AM at Grace Chapel, 300 Valley View Drive, Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
Bill was born May 04, 1942, in San Francisco, California to Derwood and Winifred Whitaker.
Bill married Tina Shannon on April 14, 1962. The couple lived in Folsom, California where Bill worked in his father’s auto parts store. He received a degree at American River College. Bill then chose to further his education and the family moved to San Jose, California where he attended San Jose State University. In the early 70’s Bill felt God leading him into the ministry. The family then moved to Deerfield, Illinois where Bill attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Upon graduation he accepted a position as the pastor of Lakewood Evangelical Free Church in Brainerd Minnesota. In 1982 the couple moved back to California where Bill began a long career in the funeral business. He started his new career in Folsom, California and later moved to the Los Angeles area.
Bill loved working with people and his job as a funeral director fit him perfectly. Bill was a very caring, compassionate and gentle man who helped the grieving families feel comfortable. He worked in this business for about 20 years.
Bill and Tina loved to travel and took many trips to their favorite places including Hawaii, Grand Cayman, and Australia. Bill took up scuba diving and Catalina Island was a favorite dive spot. Among his other hobbies were small plane pilot, flying remote control planes, golfing, motorcycles, and most recently shooting his favorite guns.
Bill and Tina moved to Scottsbluff in 2004 to be near their only child Susan Whitaker and their four grandchildren. Bill worked at Western Nebraska Community College as a lab instructor. He loved his students and many of them were his nurses who took such good care of him during his several years of illness. When his health caused him to stop teaching he joined the great team at Staples. Bill was friendly, helpful and loved by many.
Survivors include his wife, Tina Whitaker; daughter Susan Whitaker; sisters Barbara Baldy (Paul Baldy) of Shingle Springs, California; Marty McCants of Sacramento, California; four grandchildren, Joshua Ellstrom, Micah Ellstrom, Michaella (Johnson) Ellstrom, and Colt Whitaker and five great-grandchildren, Faith, Damien, Joshua, Grace, and Elias; niece Laura Wagg (Gary Wagg) and nephew Darin Baldy (Kim Baldy). He is preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.
Memorials may be sent in Bill’s name to Platte Valley Bank. Funds will be divided among Prairie Haven Hospice, Regional West Palliative Care, and Golden Living Care Center. Tributes of sympathy may be left at www.dugankramer.com