William Francis Whitington
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Bill Whitington, 92, of Lee’s Summit, died peacefully on July 4, 2019. Visitation will be Saturday, July 20, 2019 from 10:30 am-11:30 am, followed by a Memorial Mass at 11:30 am at Our Lady of the Presentation Catholic Church, Lee’s Summit, MO. Interment with military honors at 1:00 pm at Lee’s Summit Historical Cemetery. Bill was born on September 7, 1926 in Moberly, MO to William and Ruth (Kilholland) Whitington.
Three years later the family moved to Sedalia, MO, where he attended Sacred Heart School and graduated from Smith Cotton High School. He served 2 years in the Army during World War II and then attended the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Central Missouri State University. In 1960, he married Wanda (White) Whitington and they had one daughter, Patti. Through lifelong friendship, they inherited two more daughters, Becki and Terri Kempf. In 1988, after 30 years, he retired from Western Electric.
Bill was a proud, Irish American, lifelong Missourian, Democrat, member of Communication Workers of America, Local 6360 and Our Lady of the Presentation Catholic Church. He was a friend of Bill W for 34 continuous years.
He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather who loved to fish, gamble, walk with his buddies and read. He was an avid Chiefs, Royals and MU Tigers fan. Bill was funny, feisty, ornery, charming, generous and he never met a stranger.
He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Becki Kempf Hocker; son-in-law, Kary Hocker and wife, Wanda.
He is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Patti Whitington Burton (Jeff) of Kansas City, MO and Terri Kempf Warning (Paul) of Lee’s Summit, MO and four grandchildren, Matt Burton (Allison) of Lexington, KY and Todd Hocker, Lindsay Warning and Gresha Burton of Kansas City, MO.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Foxwood Springs, Brookdale Leawood and Crossroads Hospice for providing loving, compassionate care.
The family kindly requests memorial donations to First Hand Foundation, 2800 Rockcreek Parkway, Kansas City, Missouri 64117.
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