Beatrice Whittaker

Beatrice “Betty” Edwards Whittaker, born August 20, 1917 in Madison, Wisconsin to Frank and Beatrice Edwards, gently passed away after a brief illness on May 3, 2014 in Lynden, Washington. When she was 18 months old, a train hit the family’s Model T Ford and fatally injured her mother. Despite this rough start, which also included a bout of polio at age eight, she went on to greatly enrich the lives of all who knew her. Raised by her father and step-mother, as well as her grandmother in Ft. Atkinson, Betty attended Whitewater State Teachers’ College, graduating with a degree in Business Education. Her first position was two years of teaching high school in the small farm town of Melrose. In 1942 she escaped the cold Wisconsin winters and followed an aunt to sunny southern California. Betty especially loved being part of the building of Liberty Ships and rubbing shoulders with the movie stars who attended the launchings. Through the introduction of a mutual friend, Betty met and married ex-Navy officer, Texaco chemist, and amateur orchid grower Horace E. Whittaker in June, 1951. Together they raised two sons, David and Brian. She eventually resumed teaching business education at the local junior college and evening classes at the nearby high school. Eighteen years later, the family moved to Carpinteria, California, where she and Horace took on the fresh challenge of operating an avocado orchard, expanding it to include semi-tropical fruits as well as kiwi fruit, a new crop in that region. While in Carpinteria she successfully operated her own business selling Neo-Life vitamins, and was active in the Forest Home Christian Women’s Auxiliary, Soroptimist International, and the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History. In 1988, Betty and Horace sold the “ranch” and moved to Oak Harbor, Washington to be closer to family. There she and Horace continued their love of all things horticultural by turning the undeveloped ground around their house into a garden paradise, incorporating a great variety of flora in with ponds, bridges, and arbors. They were involved in activities at First Reformed Church, the Whidbey Island Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society, and Meerkirk Rhododendron Gardens. Horace passed away suddenly in 1998, and in 2007 Betty moved to Lynden. She lived at Meadow Greens Retirement Community and greatly enjoyed the new friends she made there and through Third Christian Reformed Church. She is survived by David and Deborah Whittaker of North Hollywood, CA; Brian and Patty Whittaker of Ferndale, WA; grandchildren Paul (Marisa), David, and Karin (Nathan), and great-grandchildren Nate and Cora. Throughout her long and full life, Betty expressed endless enthusiasm for all that is good in people and daily demonstrated how to live in grace. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Betty’s favorite charities: World Vision, Doctors without Borders, Christian Broadcasting Network, and Prison Fellowship. Farewell Tribute Information A memorial service was held July 7, 2014 at 3:00 pm at the Third Christian Reformed Church in Lynden, Washington. Inurnment will be held at Sunnyside Cemetery on Whidbey Island, Tuesday, July 8th at 11 am.

Beatrice Whittaker

August 20, 1917 - May 3, 2014