Kay is preceded in death by her first husband, Captain Michael Cummings, USAF (deceased 1969), and her lifelong husband, Robert Whatley (deceased 2012). She is also preceded in death by her father, Erskine McLain; her mother, Jeannette Self McLain; and her brother, Erskine Carl McLain, Jr.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Kay attended Ramsay High School and Auburn University, graduating from Auburn with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Kay Whatley’s career spanned 30+ years as a sales representative for Xerox in Orlando, Florida. Kay attended the First Presbyterian Church of Maitland for over 40 years. Kay’s driving forces in life were her family and her career.
There is a phrase in competitive environments where a person is referred to as “the best to ever do it” and this phrase applies to Kay Whatley, who treated everything like it was hers to be the best at:
• The best mom
• The best friend
• The best wife
• The best sales rep
…and it worked. Kay Whatley was the best at everything she did, never willing to live life as a secondary player.
Everyone who knew Kay Whatley loved her. All the way to the end of her life, Kay’s sweet personality and beautiful smile made knowing her a treasured experience. From her many lifelong friends to her end-of-life caregivers, there wasn’t anyone she didn’t impact positively with her kind nature and beautiful smile.
