Frances Novella Whitehead

Frances Novella Gibson was born in Bronxville, New York on April 7, 1930, the only child of Frances Hineline Gibson and Banks Chapman Gibson. Always one of the sharpest girls at Tuckahoe High School, she graduated as valedictorian, achieved the highest score on the New York Regent’s Exam, and was off to Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1947 at the age of 17. She would later receive her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from George Washington University in Washington, DC, and studied and was certified in Volunteer Management.

While at Vassar, Novella visited her cousin at West Point one weekend and met the love of her life and soon-to-be partner for 73 years, Ennis C. Whitehead, Jr. Ennis graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1948, and they were married in Bronxville, New York on June 18, 1949.

Immediately after their marriage, Novella and Ennis traveled on a former troop carrier ship to West Germany. There, Ennis served as a platoon leader on the border and later as a company commander in the First Infantry Division. During those three years in Europe, they moved three times and their first child, Nancy Banks Whitehead, was born.

Returning to the United States in 1952, Ennis and Novella were assigned to Fort Knox where their second child, Ennis C. Whitehead III (Jim), was born.

Ennis always said that Novella was the key to his achievements in the military and life. She was an outstanding Army wife who helped him in his career, watched over families in the command during deployments, and was a loving mother to Nancy and Jim. Over their years in the Army, Ennis and Novella were stationed at Ft. Knox, KY, West Point, NY, Champaign, IL for graduate school, Ft. Leavenworth, KS, Germany three times and Washington, DC, and Ennis was assigned to Korea and twice to Vietnam on unaccompanied tours. Novella always took advantage of opportunities to teach her children history first-hand through travel.

When Ennis retired in 1981 as a Major General in the U.S. Army, he and Novella stayed in the Washington area, moving to Falcons Landing Retirement Community in Potomac Falls, VA. They were now free to travel together and enjoy both retirement and their beach condominium in Ocean City, Maryland. And of course, continue to contribute to their community. Novella served as a volunteer at the National Military Family Association, working with Congress to improve the lives of military families; as a Senior Care Ombudsman in Loudoun County, Virginia; as a HeadStart Volunteer Coordinator; and as a volunteer coordinator for all teenage volunteers at Inova Hospital. At Falcons Landing, she represented residents on the Residents Council, and served as President during a time of expansion, where she negotiated for land transfers among neighboring commercial ventures and personally advocated to local government organizations to benefit the community.

Novella was always ready to learn and to teach. She loved to travel, taught herself to sew and then taught others, staying one step ahead of the next class, was a den mother and led girl scout troops, and mastered their Apple computer back in the days when personal computers were rare. She will be remembered for her intelligence, grace, beauty, elegance, and generous and energetic spirit. She was loved and will be greatly missed.

Frances Novella Whitehead passed away peacefully on April 30, 2025, at the age of 95. She is survived by her daughter Nancy Sander (Larry); son Ennis Whitehead III (Susan); grandchildren Jim (Beth), and Kate; and two beloved great-granddaughters, Evie and Zoe.

The family would like to thank Fleet Landing North Point staff and Community Hospice and Palliative Care for her wonderful care.

Novella and Ennis will be buried together at a future date at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to your favorite charity or Fleet Landing’s Endowment Fund (Scholarship Fund), 1 Fleet Landing Blvd., Atlantic Beach, Fl 32233.