Carolyn Irene Whitham

Longtime Claremont resident Carolyn Whitham died Sunday, January 26 at the age of 90. Carolyn was born in Omaha, Nebraska, November 6, 1934. Her parents Neil and Dorothy Chapman we both born in Nebraska. She had one sister named Gayle. After their mother died of cancer at age 37, the girls were raised by their grandparents, Herman and Myrtle Wulff, staying in Omaha.

College was at University of Omaha, where Carolyn studied Radio/TV and Home Economics. She was a member of Chi Omega sorority. Later she attended School at Cal State Los Angeles majoring in Fine Arts, and obtained a teaching credential from Claremont Graduate School.

Carolyn married her high school boyfriend, Dennis Huffman in 1955. They moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, where he was in his senior year in engineering. They then moved to Dayton, Ohio, where Dennis served in the Air Force, and had two boys, Steven and David in 1956 and 1959 respectively.

In 1959, the family moved to South Hollywood where Dennis worked as a civilian electrical engineer. When Steve was 5 and David was 3, they moved to Claremont in 1961. This was a much better place to raise the boys. Guilford Avenue had many families, 50 kids on one block, who played together. Once the boys were both in school, Carolyn went back to college, and then moved into teaching art at Pico Rivera High School. With such a long commute. Carolyn’s next job was teaching Home Economics and Art at Chaffey High School in Ontario, where she taught for 20 years. After leaving Chaffey, she worked as a secretary at the Pomona College Career Development office. She retired in 2000.

Her younger son David died tragically in a car accident at age 19. His son Joe was born after his death. This was very difficult for the family, and Carolyn and Dennis divorced a few years later. Carolyn was married to Paul Whitham in 1984, and they were married until Paul’s passing in 2010. Paul had 3 children from his previous marriage, Paula, David, and Mark, who all lived in Southern California. Carolyn’s son Steve and his wife Faye moved from Southern California to Flagstaff, Arizona in 1997. David and Robin Kriegoff’s son, Carolyn’s grandson Joe moved to Ozark Arkansas, and married Emily. They have 2 sons, Casey and Brody.

Once Carolyn retired, she worked on hand built ceramic sculpture for 20 years, studying with Betty Davenport Ford. She also stayed active in Claremont Presbyterian Church as a teacher, Deacon and Elder, in PEO, and with family events, travel with Paul, and collecting teddy bears. After Paul died, Carolyn moved to Mount San Antonio Gardens. While living at the Gardens, she became friends with Bob Brown and his extended family, including his daughter Eleanor Brown. Bob passed away in 2019, and Eleanor has continued to be a good friend. While at The Gardens, Carolyn took up painting, and stayed busy with many activities, music, and family events.

Carolyn is survived by her sister Gayle Crawford, son Steve Huffman, grandson Joe Huffman and great grandsons Casey and Brody Huffman.