He was born on May 21, 1945, in Princeton, Indiana. He was the son of Armine Frank and Margie (Harper) Whitaker. William married Kathy Bever and together they shared 55 wonderful years of marriage.
William graduated from Mt. Carmel High School and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University. He proudly served in the United States Air Force from 1965 to 1968 and was a Vietnam War veteran.
Before retiring, William worked in retail as a sales associate, where he enjoyed helping customers and getting to know members of his community. He loved baseball and enjoyed reading about American History.
Survived by his wife Kathy; his children, Amy Whitaker and Wesley Whitaker; his grandchildren, Keeley Whitaker and Kyle Whitaker; his sister, Thelma (Whitaker) Lutz; his brothers, Larry (Linda) Whitaker, and Lester (Emily) Whitaker; his brothers-in-law, Mike (Rena) Bever and Mark Bever; his nieces and nephews, and their families.
William was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Doyle.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Short-Cunningham Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Short-Cunningham Funeral Home.
Burial will follow the service at Coffee Cemetery in Keensburg, IL.
Memorial contributions in memory of William Whitaker can be made to Stand Up to Cancer. A donation can be made online at standuptocancer.org, or the mailing address is P.O. Box 843721, Los Angeles, CA 90084-3721. Envelopes will also be available at Short-Cunningham Funeral Home.
Kraeer Funeral Home and Short-Cunningham Funeral Home are honored to serve the Whitaker family.
