Robert Edward Whitlock

Robert Edward Whitlock, 76, died June 8 in Mobile, Alabama, after a short illness. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward Harold Whitlock and Sarah Gwendolyn Fordham Whitlock Dean of Birmingham, Alabama. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Rita Saks Whitlock; children Kelli Whitlock Burton (Hub), of Waldoboro, Maine; Jeffrey Corley Whitlock (Lona), of Semmes, Alabama; and Brent Evan Whitlock, of Mobile; brother John Earl Whitlock (Martha), of Dora, Alabama; grandchildren Hunter Joseph Paine, Jeremy Corley Whitlock, Brooke Casper Whitlock, Madeline Wilson Burton and Mack Cantin Burton; five nephews and a niece; and a large extended family and community of friends.

Whitlock was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and attended West End High School. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1955 at the age of 17, serving on the USS Lexington, and was honorably discharged in 1959. Whitlock worked in sales and service for Wittichen Supply Company and Kwik Kold Refrigeration in Birmingham, Alabama, before transferring to Kwik Kold’s Mobile, Alabama, branch in the mid-1970s. In 1984, he joined Delchamps, Inc., in Mobile, where he served as vice president of engineering until 1995. He then joined the managerial leadership with Tafco in Mobile, which was later acquired by Hussman Corporation. He served as Manager of Special Projects for Hussman, Southeast Region, until his retirement in 2006.

A life-long believer in service to others, Whitlock spent decades as a member and active volunteer with the Congregation Ahavas Chesed in Mobile, where he was president of the Men’s Club. For the past 15 years, he also served as the Congregation’s Treasurer and spearheaded efforts to support the Congregation’s preschool and many building and construction projects. After his retirement, he sought out additional ways to help others in his community, including work to help victims of Hurricane Katrina and volunteering at Providence Hospital in Mobile, where he and his wife, Rita, staffed the information desk during Christmas holidays to allow other volunteers to spend that time with their families. He was also past president of the Maryknoll Place Home Owners Association.

Graveside services will be Wednesday, June 10, 2015, at 4:00 pm at Ahavas Chesed Cemetery. Rabbi Steven Silberman will officiate. Pallbearers: Jeff Whitlock; Brent Whitlock; Ira Levine; Joel London; Marshall Levine; Cary London; Bradley Pearce; Robert Spicer. Honorary Pallbearers: Josh McDonald; Rick Hodges; J.R. Rawls.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Congregation Ahavas Chesed, P.O. Box 850804, Mobile, AL, 36685; or to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation at ccfa.org.

Condolences may be offered online at www.radneyfuneralhome-mobile.com.