John Harold Whiting passed away peacefully on January 26, 2022, surrounded by his family. He was born on May 18, 1933, in Wakefield, Rhode Island. John spent many of his teenage years working in his father’s (Berry Whiting) Wakefield Diner. He left high school early to enlist in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He served at Quonset Point Rhode Island and NAS Brunswick in Maine. After leaving the service John completed his undergraduate work at the University of Rhode Island and graduate school at the University of Connecticut, where he majored in English. He met his wife, Patricia, while attending the University of Rhode Island. John began his teaching career at Rhode Island College. He then taught at Radford University before moving to SUNY Orange in New York. John spent 30 years at SUNY Orange where he began as an English Professor and retired as the Vice President of Academic Affairs. John was an avid reader of poetry and author of many published poems. His true passion was the history of movie films. While at SUNY Orange, he introduced a film studies curriculum. He completed a master’s degree in Film History from New York University. He also contributed movie reviews to the local newspaper, The Times Herald Record. Upon retirement, John was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus. John and his wife moved to St. James in 1999. He thoroughly enjoyed playing with the 9-holers. He was well known for his film history presentations at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church and with the Friends of the Library in Southport and Oak Island. He is survived by Patricia, his loving wife of 65 years; his sons Michael (Catherine), Jeffrey (Jennifer), and daughter Johanna (David); grandsons Brandon, Dawson, and Dylan; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents Mr. and Mrs. Harold Whiting Sr, brother Harold Jr, and grandson Robert. John’s celebration of life service will be held at St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Southport on Saturday, February 5th at 11am.
10 Comments
Jeff and family, deepest condolence for your loss.
Jeff-sounds like a life well lived. We all should be so lucky. You were lucky to have him for so many years. Condolences to your family.
Fred
May his memory be a blessing to those who knew John.
Have the honor of living across the street in Goshen for my whole child hood. Spent countless hours playing in the barn . We even got caught playing spin the bottle with the girls who lived on the same street by Mr Whiting. The mist profound memory I have is sitting with him in his library. He had this giant very old dictionary. He would ask you to open any page and point to a word. He would then recite the definitions. Still till this day that memory is very clear.
Rest In Peace
My sincere condolences to Mrs Whiting and the whole family.
Many years ago, I took an American literature course with Professor Whiting. I have never forgotten the wonderful discussions he led. He had a great influence on me, my later studies, and my decision to go into teaching. Condolences to his family.
How could you not mention my mother. She is still alive and her name is Agnes, Christina, Whiting, Lorenc and she has been your sister-in-law as long as long as Uncle John. You have two great nephews, who are the best things of all time and so successful and you have a great great granddaughter who is beautiful I still live at 21Holly Drive and my mother is having the worst time of her life, but she is still alive, and I cannot believe you would not put my mother in the obituary and you know what? My grandparents would never forgive you for leaving it on sister out of the obituary I’ve always loved Jeffrey and Michael and Johanna was porn when later but I love her as well. My mother always accused you of breaking up our family and I actually never thought it could be true until I saw this obituary what is wrong with you? I didn’t even know. Uncle John died.
Thanks aunt Pat for not mentioning my mother in the obituary his own sister don’t know what happened to you and your family but I miss Jeffrey and Michael. I don’t know Johanna very well, but what you did to my mother publicly was an excusable. She is still alive. She is 82 and she still lives in East Hampton Connecticut and I thought you to used to be friends
And after you purposely left my mother out of the obituary, just so you know, my sister told me the day before I was married when your husband was going to read at the ceremony that he screwed my sister and then he screwed my mother. And then I had flashbacks the last time he stayed at your house when your husband trapped me in a room or I pissed my pants because he was trying to have sex with me, is that why Johanna is so disturbed because all of us think so he went to far aunt Pat he went to far my mother always protected your stupid name and my mother always you were somebody. And have my husband and I took care of your own mother Bette how dare you? How dare you not put my mothers name in the obituary how dare you, Agnes, Christina, Whiting Lawrence gave birth to Christina, Frances Lawrence, who gave birth to Cody?, James Bernard after my father and my son, Dylan Scott Bernard after his dead uncle and my grand daughter, Bella Bernard,
So I just found my mothers nursing card with her name as Agnes Christina Whiting, who is the mother, Ruth Agnes Hey and her father Herold, Augustus Whiting. How dare you leave out THE truth and the nickname grandma was very mean to me and I never met my grandfather but uncle John he knew all of it and I’m sorry you hated her maybe you were jealous because he actually wanted her more than you which honestly I think is really what happened how dare you walk away and let my uncle come into my bedroom at night and try to molest me Pat that I will never forgive, so good luck with all of it my mother still here. I’ll make sure when she passes I don’t mention you earlier very crazy molesting husband.
As much as it take care of your mother, I am taking out and aunt Lara and the Rhode Island papers, especially in Wakefield and letting them know that your husband is dead and he has a sister who is still alive. Did you really not know your husband was such a horrible person. Did you really not know that your husband read my wedding because he tried to screw my sister and he did try to screw me? that was the best wedding dad president nobody ever wanted and that is why I walked away from you because you let it happen and you know what your husband did to my mother you know it
Pat, I am going to make this the real story Kenya ugly you cut my mother out of the Bitchuary. You cut me on the obituary as the niece just like you only have done aunt Pat and you say grew older and became a teacher. I realize you fucking had me stay in your deck and cook your jams and whatever else you wanted me to do Because you are the biggest piece of crap of all time and you married a really really bad person I’m sorry but you did your two sons first. I am going to put a pause in Rhode Island papers tomorrow and I will show my mother how she lost her brother cut her out of it and aunt Pat after what we did with aunt Betty, you are the biggest piece of shit of all time and uncle John was a fucking pedophile and ask yourself cat the fuck your daughter, because all of us, including my sister Jamie thinks he did to live with that bitch
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