Sherrill Whitaker

Obituary/Eulogy/ of Sherrill M. Whitaker; July 26, 1925 - December 19, 2012
Sherrill was born near Calhoun, in McLean County, Kentucky. He was the second of two sons of Samuel Martin & Lillian Mae (Waltrip) Whitaker.
The family moved to Greeley, Colorado in 1928. Samuel found employment with Montgomery Ward, and in produce departments within the grocery trade. They then moved to Englewood, Colorado in 1942 and Samuel worked as a machinist at Remington Arms during World War II.
Sherrill graduated from high school in 1943. His schooling was then interrupted by World War II when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet. Sherrill was then shipped overseas to the China, Burma, India theater, stationed in Assam, India. There he worked as an auto parts clerk, ending with a rank of Corporal. Upon discharge, serving from September 1943 - May 1946, he returned home to marry, start a family, and continue his education.
His college education began at Denver University, earning a Bachelor of Arts with a Pre-Seminary major in 1950. He continued his post-graduate studies at Berkeley Baptist Divinity School in California, earning a Bachelor of Divinity specializing in practical theology for the rural church in 1953.
Sherrill married Marjorie Louise Miller on June 20, 1948 at Broadway Baptist Church in Denver, Colorado. The family started out in Kittitas, WA in 1953, moving to Seattle in 1955 and finally to Kent in 1967. Sherrill is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, his 4 children, Michael, Kerry (Linda), Julie, and Kathryn (Danny), his 8 grandchildren, Brandon, Rachel (Michael), Ian, Aubrey, Samuel, (Beki), Emily, (Brian), Alexander (Holly), and Joseph, and his two great grandsons Eli and Callan. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Randy.
Sherrill's career was multifaceted: Pastor, Kittitas Community Church Kittitas 1953-1955; Minister of Christian Education, Fremont Baptist Church, Seattle 1955-1959; Manager Baptist Book Store, Seattle 1959-1964; Counselor, Assistant Administrator, Judson Park Retirement Center, Des Moines 1964-1969; Administrator, Ya Po Ha Retirement Apartments, Eugene, OR 1969; Consultant & Director, American Baptist Service Corporation National Housing Ministries for the Northwest Region 1969-1977.
His hobbies, when he had any "free" time, were reading & landscaping. Reading topics of interest were design & construction, with special attention to landscape design.
Sherrill was a unique man; he was extremely patient, thoughtful, considerate, and always willing to serve others. He and Marjorie were an inspiration to his family. His devotion to his family was never ending. He will be sorely missed.

Graveside Service 1:00 pm ,Friday, December 28, 2012
Tahoma National Cemetery
18600 SE 240th St. Kent, WA 98042