William Lee Whitman, 93, Minneapolis, Kansas, died Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at the Ottawa County Health Center, Minneapolis. He was born to his parents William H. (Will) and Ethel Whitman on September 2 1915 near St. Francis, Kansas. Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Virginia, of the home; two sisters, Vera Melvin, Salina; Betty Bross, Calabasas, CA.; his son, William J. (Bill) Whitman and wife, Angela, Bennington; three daughters, Virginia L. (Gin) Whitman, Champaign, Illinois.; Judith A. Willcoxon, and husband Tracy, Columbus, Ohio.; and Sarah J. Whitman, Kansas City, Missouri; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister, Marjorie Venema, and granddaughter, Virginia Grace Whitman.
Lee and Virginia M. Cherry were married on June 1, 1940 in Winchester, Virginia. He was a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving in World War II. Lee graduated from the U.S. Navy School of Music, Washington, D.C. and was a musician throughout his career. He was a Pearl Harbor Survivor, and lifetime member of the VFW, Fleet Reserve and The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA). After retiring from the Navy and moving back to Bennington, KS in 1959, he was a man of many talents and as such held several occupations; primarily with Roberts Mfg., Salina, and as a driver for El Dorado RV Mfg., Minneapolis. Concurrently, he served as the Bennington City Clerk for many years. After retirement, Lee was the Silver Haired Legislator for Ottawa County from 1990 to 1996.
Visitation will be from 2 P.M. to 8 P.M. Friday, September 5, 2008, at Wilson Shields Funeral Home, where the family will receive friends from 6:30 P.M. to 8 P.M.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 A.M., Saturday, September 6, 2008, at the United Church of Bennington, 222 N. Nelson, Bennington, KS. 67422.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the church, or to the Bennington Senior Citizen Center, in care of the funeral home.