Harry Andrew Whiting Jr.

Harry was born on October 9, 1946, in Albany, New York, to Harry Andrew Whiting, Sr. and Maude Marian (Adams) Whiting. He spent his early childhood in Highland, New York, before moving with his family to Santee, California, at age nine. He graduated from El Capitan High School, Lakeside, CA, in 1965, earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Gallaudet University, and later earned a master's degree in vocational rehab from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Harry devoted most of his professional life to vocational rehabilitation, helping people with disabilities pursue meaningful, productive work lives. In California, he worked as a self-employed workers' compensation vocational rehabilitation consultant and served as an expert witness in Social Security Disability cases. He later worked for the State of Washington's Department of Services for the Blind and retired in 2021 at age 75.

Harry married Page Murphy Whiting in October 1986. Over the past 35 years, Harry and Page called Aberdeen, Washington; Yreka, California; and Foresthill, California, home before moving to Ellinwood, Kansas, in 2023.

Energetic, driven, and always looking for something new to do, Harry rarely lacked a project, a trip, or an interest to pursue. He loved his family, golf, travel, classic cars, dogs, helping people with disabilities, and, to the amusement and affection of those who knew him best, watching the Hallmark Channel. He played golf whenever he could and had a lifelong enthusiasm for classic cars. Most recently, he restored a 1965 Chevrolet El Camino, one of several classic cars he owned over the years - and only a small fraction of the cars he dreamed of owning.

Harry's Christian faith was important to him throughout his life. Baptized as a child in the Methodist Church, he was a member of First Methodist Mansfield in Mansfield, Texas. He also believed strongly in service to others. He served as a board member of the Rosenkrantz Scholarship Fund and the Ellinwood Underground City Foundation, participated in the Ellinwood Rotary, and volunteered at the Midwest Dream Car Collection in Manhattan, Kansas.

Harry is survived by his wife, Page Murphy Whiting; his sons, Daniel Belden Whiting and his wife, Sunshine, and Timothy Alden Whiting and his wife, Betsy; his grandchildren, Amelia Sharon Whiting, Wyatt William Whiting, Caroline Louise Whiting, Eleanor Louella Whiting, Luke Andrew Whiting, and Samuel Paul Whiting; his siblings, Wayne Sanford Whiting and Sandra Marian Whiting; his nephew, Matthew Whiting; his niece, Farrah Raine Bannister; and his beloved rescue dog, Maverick, one of countless dogs and cats Harry and Page cared for over the years.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry Andrew Whiting, Sr. and Maude Marian (Adams) Whiting, and his stepson, Greg William Murphy.

A celebration of life is being planned for a future date. For details on the event or information on where to send cards/flowers to Page, please email [email protected].