Frank E Whitney

Frank is survived by his loving wife, Becky, and his sons Eric, Aaron, and Dustin. To his grandchildren, he was known simply and affectionately as Papa, a title he carried with tremendous pride.

Frank served honorably in the United States Army from 1957 to 1960, a period of his life he reflected on with gratitude and honor. He served as an Ordinance Electronics Propulsion and Structures Repairman, working on missiles. Frank told stories of sleeping under the nuclear missiles and shared his passion for his work with anyone who would listen. One of the missiles he worked on is on display in Hutchison, KS where Frank’s mother and brother lie buried. He spoke with great fervor about his time in the army. He spent several years in Germany, where he became fluent, and made lifelong friends who he spoke to regularly.

Outgoing, warm, and endlessly charismatic, Frank was a true salesman who could light up any room he entered and never met a stranger. He was kind-hearted, curious, and full of life. He spent many years after the military as a traveling salesman; an occupation perfectly suited for Frank. He was a successful salesman for many years, and an enthusiastic storyteller—often sharing his favorites again and again with the same joy as the first time. He could sell anything to anyone. Through his career he sold books, clothing, knives, filing cabinets, heavy machinery, underwear, DVDs, and even funeral plans at DW Newcomers.

His love for Tai Chi shaped much of who he was; not only did he practice it passionately, but he also spent many years teaching it to others, including residents at nursing homes. Sometimes the students in his classes were younger than him, in assisted living. He and his grandson, Josh attended weekly for many years. He enjoyed spending time with Josh and his younger brother Zach. Frank enjoyed listening to Zach’s tremendous talent for piano during their weekends together.

His creative spirit shone through the cigar box guitars he crafted and sold through his own small business. Frank spent hours working downstairs in his shop on his cigar box guitars. He even convinced two of his sons to join the business with him, making it a true family affair. Frank’s work has been showcased in an exhibition put on by the National Blues Museum in St. Louis, Missouri. When he was able, Frank would travel around to local events and sell his guitars, he’s even sold to his own medical team!

Frank was a deep thinker throughout his life. He enjoyed reading about Leonardo da Vinci and if you’ve spent much time with Frank, you already knew that. Frank would spend hours researching his next topic of interest and delighted in learning new things in any subject. Never keeping much he learned to himself.

Frank deeply enjoyed spending time with his best friend, Mac. A friendship that started over 50 years ago. They still saw each other weekly and got into as much trouble as they could muster. Sharing stories and a meal each time they were together. Their friendship was the strongest of Frank’s long and rich life.

Frank’s greatest love was his devoted wife Becky, with whom he shared over 5 decades. They traveled all over the country sharing love and laughter along the way. The two traveled to Europe together later in life and renewed vows for their 40th wedding anniversary. Words can’t express how deeply and fully Frank loved Becky. Despite her winning frequently in cards against him, he always challenged her to another game.

Family was incredibly important to Frank. Frank spent time teaching each of his grandchildren how to collect, identify, and tumble rocks, honoring his own father who was a self-proclaimed “rockhound”. Frank instilled this love to the latest generation of Whitneys, who each cherish their collections.

Frank’s grandchildren were a huge light in his life. He taught his granddaughter Dahlia to play solitaire and gleefully cheered when she understood his lessons. She, Frank, and Dustin had an annual fishing trip on Father’s Day, that will be missed next year. His littlest grandson, Dorian, was too young for most hobbies, but Papa still found a way to get him into a little trouble.

Frank was deeply loved by his family and will be profoundly missed. His presence, humor, and generous spirit leave a lasting impact on all who knew him.

Relatives and friends are invited to the Funeral Service at White Chapel Funeral Home, 6600 NE Antioch Rd., Gladstone, MO 64119 on Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 11:00 AM with Visitation from 9:00 AM until service time. Committal Service will immediately follow at White Chapel Cemetery, Gladstone, MO. Please share memories and condolences on the White Chapel Funeral Home website.

Memorial Donations:

In lieu of flowers, please consider planting a tree in Frank’s memory through A Living Tribute (https://shop.alivingtribute.org/collections) or making a donation to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (https://themmrf.org).