Jimmy Jo WHITAKER

Male 1944 - 2020  (75 years)


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  • Name Jimmy Jo WHITAKER 
    Nickname JJ 
    Born 22 Oct 1944  Dante, Russell Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Virginia, Births, 1864-2014. Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia

      Name: Jimmy Joe Whitaker
      Birth Date: 22 Oct 1944
      Birth Place: Russell, Virginia
    Gender Male 
    Died 19 Jan 2020  Miami, Dade Co., FL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried Temple Hill Memorial Park, Castlewood, Russell Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • OBITUARY

      MIAMI, FLORIDA - Jimmy Joe "J.J." Whitaker, 75, of Dante, Virginia, the firstborn of Ralph Lawrence and Oma Lee (Leedy) Whitaker, passed away on Sunday, January 19th, 2020 in Miami, Florida after a four-year battle with cancer.

      Educated at Castlewood High School and Miami Dade College. However, his wisdom and knowledge extended far beyond his formal education. He served in the US Army. In his youth, he worked in car repair and welding. As an adult, he excelled in banking and finance and went on to be a very successful executive for the Exposition Corporation where he managed home shows in the Miami, Florida area. Jim later went on to open his own exposition company and started a successful window and door business.

      Jim had many interests including breeding, raising, and training champion German Shepards. He enjoyed computers, building, and remodeling. However, Jim is best known for his enthusiasm for car racing and classic cars. He designed and built race cars that ran in the Hooters Cup, at Hialeah Speedway, and tracks all over the Southern states. Later in life he bought and modified classic cars. He won awards for his 1935 Chrysler PT convertible and displayed them with pride. He loved attending car shows with his family where he made many friends. Jim?s father once said that ?Jim never met a stranger?.

      Jim was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin, and friend. He loved and was loved by animals and children wherever he went. He could best be described as a dreamer, a fighter, a master communicator, and a man who always stood out in a crowd. He had a million stories which he told with such animation that you felt you were there. He captured every room he entered and made everyone laugh. Jim?s sense of humor and contagious laughter lifted spirits in all those that knew him. Jim could never be described as ordinary because he strived for and achieved exceptionalism in everything he did.

      Jim is survived by his loving wife of forty-seven years, Linda Lee (Austin) Whitaker. His six children Jimmy Joe Whitaker Jr. of Georgia, Angela Becker and her husband Ken of South Carolina, Kimberly Reckles and her husband Andrew of Georgia, Scott Whitaker and his wife Monica of Georgia, Jennifer Lesek and her husband Joe of Florida, Bonnie Vedo and her husband Nick of Florida. His eleven grandchildren Amber Weber, Clayton Reckles, Natalie Whitaker, Terah Reckles, Elisa Whitaker, Alexandra Fletcher, Paige Fletcher, Bianca Partlow, Savannah Fletcher, Aniyah Whitaker, Levi Lesek, thirteen great-grandchildren, several cousins, nieces, and nephews. He is also survived by his sisters Linda Cordle and Pauline Hart, and her husband Greg; aunts Betty Lou Savage, Beatrice Taylor, Joan Austin, and his uncle Boyce Whitaker, and joins his late brother Sammy Whitaker and parents mentioned above.

      Jim loved being a Whitaker and was proud of his family history and instilled that in his children. He enjoyed attending the annual Whitaker reunion and catching up with his cousins and other family members. His passing leaves a huge void in our family and he will be dearly missed.

      Funeral Services for Jimmy Joe ?J.J.? Whitaker will be conducted at 12:00 p.m. Friday, February 7th, 2020, in Hamlin Baptist Church, 4426 Red Oak Ridge in Castlewood, Virginia with Rev. Jim Pratt officiating. Interment will follow in Temple Hill Memorial Park in Castlewood, Virginia. Pallbearers will be his sons, Jimmy J. Whitaker Jr. and Scott Whitaker, and his sons-in-law, Ken Becker, Andy Reckles, Joe Lesek, and Nick Vedo.

      The family asks everyone to join them for a reception at the Western Front Hotel, located at 3025 Forth Avenue, St. Paul, Virginia 24283.
    Person ID I24388  Master File
    Last Modified 5 Feb 2020 

    Father Ralph Lawrence WHITAKER,   b. 06 Sep 1923, Rutherford Co. NC Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 09 Aug 1986, Unicoi Co. TN Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 62 years) 
    Mother Oma Lee Leedy,   b. 25 Apr 1927, Floyd Co. KY Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 30 May 2006, Unicoi Co. TN Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years) 
    Family ID F10859  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Kathleen Doris Emmert 
    Married 18 Jun 1964  Unicoi, Unicoi Co. TN Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. Nashville, TN: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Microfilm
      Name: Jimmy Joe Whitaker
      Gender: Male
      Age: 20
      Birth Date: abt 1944
      Marriage Date: 18 Jun 1964
      Marriage Place: Unicoi, Tennessee
      Spouse: Kathleen Doris Emmert
      Age: 18
      Birth Date: abt 1946
    Last Modified 5 Feb 2020 
    Family ID F373  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Joy Lynn Boyd 
    Married Feb 1965  Dade Co. FL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Florida Department of Health. Florida Marriage Index, 1927-2001. Florida Department of Health, Jacksonville, Florida
      Name: Jimmy J Whitaker
      Spouse: Joy Lynn Boyd
      County of Marriage: Dade
      Marriage Date: Feb 1965
      Volume: 2295
      Certificate: 7016
      Source: Florida Department of Health
    Children 
     1. James Joseph WHITAKER, Jr.
     2. Angela Lynn WHITAKER
     3. Scott Travis WHITAKER
     4. Kimberly Dawn WHITAKER
    Last Modified 5 Feb 2020 
    Family ID F10860  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 3 Linda Lee Austin 
    Children 
     1. Jennifer Jane WHITAKER
     2. Bonnie Lynn WHITAKER
    Last Modified 4 Nov 2013 
    Family ID F10861  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart