Robert Edward Whitley

Bob is survived by his wife of 64 years, Doni Posey Whitley, his two children, Robert Jr., and Bryan (Jennifer), his grandchildren Abbey (Sean), Robert III, Madeline, Alexandra and his great granddaughter, Charlotte.

Bob was born November 26, 1941, in Chattanooga, Tennessee and spent his formative years with his parents in Winder, GA. His father, Dr. James R. Whitley, was a practicing surgeon and one of the driving forces behind the expansion of the surgery unit at the Mayo Clinic. His mother, Blanch Owen Whitley, was a lifelong RN and CNO of Walton County Hospital.

Bob was the captain of his high school football team, the Winder Barrow Bulldogs, graduating in 1959. He continued his football career as a fullback under coach Bobby Dodd after enrolling at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Unfortunately, an injury ended his college football career after freshman year, but he continued at GA Tech, graduating in 1963 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Bob continued to support Georgia Tech in many ways until his passing.

Bob loved racing cars as he learned to drive from the moonshiners in North Georgia, a tradition he passed to his sons, sometimes to his own detriment. He would sneak out of the house as a teenager to win multiple racing titles.

After GA Tech, he worked for Lockheed on the C-5 Galaxy project, but ultimately deciding to enroll in and complete law school at Emory University, where he was president of his class.

Bob had a long, very successful law career spanning roles from Assistant US District Attorney to defense attorney to International Contract Law, which took him and his wife, Doni, on numerous global excursions. He also owned and operated numerous Po Folks restaurants throughout the Southeast. Through his law practice and affiliation with Georgia Tech, Bob played a big part in bringing numerous new buildings and improvements to Georgia Tech for the 1996 Olympics.

He was also one of the key participants in the People-to-People Ambassador Outreach Program to China in 1986, assisting with the reinitiation of law programs at Chinese universities after the cultural revolution.

Bob was heavily involved locally with Northside Hospital, serving many years on the board of directors and served as the Chairman of the Board of the Northside Foundation.

He was also an accomplished scuba diver and traveled the world with his family following this passion. He also loved fly fishing, offshore fishing and quail hunting, but most of all he just loved spending time with his family.

For all his professional accomplishments, what the family will miss most is his smile, the fun stories, his commitment to his family, and a man who was a wonderful husband, father and friend, and a true gentleman.