[NFBMT] Jerry Whittle obituary

Sun Nov 12 05:26:08 UTC 2017

For those of you who knew him.  Joy 

Jerry N. Whittle, January 10, 1947- November 10, 2017

Jerry Whittle was born on January 10, 1947 in Seneca, South Carolina, and
passed away on November 10, 2017 surrounded by family and friends. He was
preceded in death by his parents, Delzie Cleo McGuffin Whittle and Ambus
"Pat" Whittle; his sister, Patsy Louise Whittle; and by his first wife, Karin
Winkle Whittle.    

He is survived by his dear wife Merilynn Whittle; daughter Christina Ann
Richardson Pedro and spouse John Pedro II; son John Bee Richardson and spouse
Laurie Ann Lusk ; grandchildren Xavier Pedro, Giana Pedro, Tessa Boyle,
Jonathan Richardson, and Sara Elizabeth Richardson; several
great-grandchildren; nephews and niece Roger "Dale" Chrisley, Danus Chrisley,
Marilyn Jane "Janie" Chrisley Davis; brother-in-law Miles "Smoky" Chrisley;
cousins Mary Venaas, Joan Dunlap, Jimmy Powell, Wayne Powell, Ronnie
Phillips, and many others; and the countless students to whom he served as a
mentor and father figure.

Mr. Whittle was a proud graduate of Clemson University, where he earned a
degree in English, and from the University of Tennessee in Knoxsville where
he earned a master's degree in Creative Writing. While he held various
occupations throughout his lifetime, his passion for language and literacy
led him to teach braille at the Louisiana Center for the Blind for over three
decades.  He worked with over 1,000 students, giving them the gift of braille
literacy, and taught countless teachers and blindness professionals that
braille literacy is a key for success for blind children and adults.  Through
his work in the National Federation of the Blind, Mr. Whittle was also able
to transform countless other lives and serve in many leadership positions,
both in Louisiana and nationally. His signature sense of humor, his
willingness to share his life experiences, and his ability to establish
genuine connections with people from all walks of life positioned him as an
icon in the blind community. 

Jerry loved baseball, gardening, reading, writing, and bluegrass. He often
persuaded Merilynn to bake him cornbread or apple pie, two of his favorites.
He was an engaging public speaker, a gifted braille teacher, a prolific
author and playwright, a loyal friend, and a deeply faithful Christian. Yet,
the essence of his life is only partially captured by these qualities. The
life that Jerry Whittle led was one of sacrifice, service, and spirit. With
his incomparable wit, and his unwavering devotion to the people that he
loved, the influence that Jerry Whittle has had on this world will
undoubtedly ring energetically for generations to come. 

The writings of William Faulkner always remained close to Mr. Whittle's
heart. "You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight
of the shore." With these words from his beloved author, we begin to say
good-bye to our teacher, mentor, and friend. Beyond this, these words remind
us to live with the courage and determination that Mr. Whittle both embodied
and challenged each of us to achieve in our own lives.

Visitation is on Monday, November 13, 2017, from 5:00-7:00 pm at Kilpatrick
Funeral Home in Ruston, Louisiana.  A second visitation and burial will be
held in South Carolina, with visitation and services held at Duckett-Robinson
Funeral Home in Central, South Carolina.  Visitation will be from 5:00 -
7:00pm on November 18th and again on November 19th from 1:00-2:00pm.  The
funeral services will be held at 2:00pm on November 19th. He will be buried
at Memory Gardens in Clemson, South Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation to the Buddy Program of the
Louisiana Center for the Blind at  <http://www.louisianacenter.org>
www.louisianacenter.org.  

Joy Breslauer, President

National Federation of the Blind of Montana 

Web Site: http://www.nfbofmt.org <http://www.nfbofmt.org/> 

Live the life you want

The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends
who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work
together to help blind people live the lives they want. 