Jack Kenneth Whitehead Sr.

Jack K. Whitehead, Sr., died on August 9th at Ochsner Hospital. He was born on July 1, 1932 in Baton Rouge as one of eight children. He graduated from Baker High School in 1951 and thereafter inducted into the United States Air Force. He served a brief stint in the Korean Police Action and was later assigned to Stropshire Air Force Base in the United Kingdom. In 1954,while stationed in England, he met the love of his life Elisabeth Paula “Betty” Johnstone and began a 57 year romance.

In 1955, Jack along with his new wife and son, moved to Baker, Louisiana where he began courses at LSU and worked at Wolf’s Sunbeam Bakery.

Jack and his growing family , in 1958, transferred to Lafayette, Louisiana where he became a plant manager and an integral part of Lafayette.

He and Betty raised four sons, Jack, Jr., James, John and David over the years making many friendships along the way as he and his wife volunteered their time for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, school activities, civic organizations, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and as Eucharistic Ministers at St. Theresa Avila Catholic Church. Jack’s business career took him across Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee. His last twenty-five years were in the Gonzales area.

Jack was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, son James, parents James A. and Birdie Belle Whitehead, brothers Acy, Fred and Andrew Whitehead and sisters Kathryn McCleary, Dorothy Mix and Lucy Belle White. He is survived by his sister Linda and her husband, Burin Babin.

He is also survived by his sons, Jack Whitehead, his wife Eleanor Thibodeaux ( their two children, Michael Whitehead , his wife Dr. Kimberly Kavanagh and Elisabeth LeCorgne, her husband Dylan LeCorgne) John Whitehead and his wife Deborah (their two children Jason, his wife Jocelin and Sara) as well David Whitehead ( his daughter Chelsea) as well as a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and great-grandchildren.

A Graveside Service will be held on Saturday , August 24th at 10:00 am at Greenoaks Memorial Park . Attendees should arrive in the Greenoaks Lobby between 9:30 and 9:45 am. Pallbearers are longtime friends, Frank Benoit and Harry Robert, nephews Donnie Jarreau and Scott Whitehead, cousin Michael McCleary, and grandson Michael Whitehead.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations in his memory to Manresa Retreat House, Post Office Box 10, Convent, Louisiana 70723.