Robert William Whitney

February 26, 1920

June 6, 2012

Robert (Bob) William Whitney Sr. passed away June 6, 2012, at the age of 92, in Sequim, Wash. He was born in Canandaigua, N.Y., to Frank and Ada Whitney.

He graduated from HannibalHigh School in 1938, and attended CornellHotelSchool for one year. He served in the U.S. Army.

In 1946 he married Helen Taylor in Dallas, Tex., and returned to CornellHotelSchool, graduating in 1949.

He moved to Seattle to be the first Food Service Director at the University of Washington Student Union Building.

From 1950 to 1956 he was Manager of Restaurants at Rhodes Department Store and later Manager of Restaurants at Fredrick and Nelson for five years.

In 1963, he established Robert Whitney & Associates, designing food service facilities for hotels, restaurants, colleges, schools, retirement homes and correctional facilities on the West Coast.

He held two patents, an automatic glass filler and a refrigerated display case.

They raised four children in a large home in Seattle that was in the movie “Sleepless in Seattle.” He enjoyed fishing for Steelhead and salmon with his friends.

After retiring in 1993, they moved to Sequim, where he enjoyed gardening and fishing.

He was a member of Foodservice Consultant Society International, life member of Cornell Hotel Society and Puget Sound Anglers.

He leaves behind his wife Helen; daughters Ann (Kern) Russell of Selah, Wash., Laura (Rob) Rutledge of Los Cruces, N.M.; and James T. Whitney of Bellevue, Wash.

A private family gathering will be made at a later date.

Remembrances may be made to the charity of your choice.