A man with great stories,my dad and i enjoyed bike rides with Lyle, great times and a true friend to my parents.Always had a smile and kind words for all.

I really enjoyed our short talks when he came in and shopped at meijer. For an older person he was open to ideas about the universe.
Will miss those talks.
Clayton


Lyle was a good man, a good mentor and a good friend.  He will be missed by all.

It was my pleasure to have known Lyle. He was a man of intelligence, humor and kindness.  He will be missed, but always remembered.

My first, shall we call it, encounter with Lyle was when Pam and I decided to move to Washington State and take his beloved grandchildren, Jennifer and Amanda, to live on the other side of the country. By that time, I was a little new to the family, but I knew Lyle pretty well. I used to go down to the bus station barbershop with Bill sometimes, and the three of us would slip across Illinois Street to an upstairs bar and have a couple beers together. I'd spent time with Lyle on some of his projects, as well. Now, Pam and I knew taking the grandkids so far away would be a major blow for him, of course. We thought about how to tell him for a while, and then one day Pam looked at me and said, You have to tell him. I was petrified. I put it off for a while, until I could put it off no longer, and then one day I just drove over to the house on Stop 11. Lyle was in the garage, tinkering on some old car as always. As I walked in, he said, Hi, Mike. Pulling together all my courage, I just blurted out, Pam and I are moving to Washington State. I might as well as punched him in the stomach. He physically kind of doubled over as if he had actually felt a blow. I was very petrified. Then, through the anguish in his face, he said, Well, then you take good care of them. I was relieved that he didn't resent me taking them away but profoundly and forever impressed with his deep emotional connection with them. He is and always will be the greatest example of a grandfather for me. He was a legendary grandfather.
Lyle always kept you on your toes. Watching the Colts, the Pacers, old cowboy movies, Tom and Jerry or whatever in his converted garage in the big chairs, sometimes you would express an opinion that he did not agree with. In a very calm, even voice, he told you and even explained how you were absolutely wrong. It cut you to the bone. I remember one time, I told him how I had let Will do something, I don't remember what it was, and he said, Mike, that's dangerous. We sat silently for a while. I was nervous, of course. Lyle could always make you feel nervous if you felt he disagreed with you. Then, he said, I know you do a great job with Will. That was pure Lyle. He'd cut you down. Then, he'd build you up. He had to have the edge. But his huge heart and love was always there, and that always came through.
I took over as father after Bill. And Lyle always appreciated that. He always made me welcome as a member of the family. And on many occasions, he told me what a great job Pam and I did on raising the kids. But a lot of that credit can go to him. All those hours of watching Tom and Jerry, old movies and whatever, and Lyle smiling with his wry smile has inculcated something in Jennifer, Amanda and Alex that goes beyond words. I think that it is the mark of a man what he leaves to his grandchildren. That time, love, and affection that he gave to his grandchildren is his legacy. It will go on in our love for Jennifer, Amanda, Alex, and Will. The family will go on with the heart of Lyle.

Uncle Lyle was a great uncle and had some great stories to tell. Very sorry for your loss Aunt Rusty and Katie! Love you very much Terry and Ron Forbes

I loved stargazing with you dad. We will always have Orion. I remember saying that to you and you would just hug me and give me that look with the cheeky grin. Love you forever Dad.

Uncle Lyle was full of fun,life and project's. He will be greatly missed by both my self and Dad "Richard Whitaker"

Hold tight to each other and make sure they know you love them.

Good bye uncle Lyle , you will be a hard void to fill

Richard Whitaker

Uncle Lyle had a great sense of humor always joking around. He always had some good stories to tell. I enjoyed spending time with Lyle whether it was working on some project or just hanging out. Nancy and I will miss you.

Our condolences to our dear friend Katie and her family.  Our thoughts and wishes go out to you on this sad occasion.  Although we never had the pleasure of meeting your dad, it sounds like he was a wonderful man.
Love,
Kim and Michael

I will never, ever forget being embraced by Lyle and Rusty, in their home. Listening to the sounds of their voices,  and the voices of the family they had brought together for my brief visit, was like coming home.
I am forever grateful for that very, very, precious time.

Lyle was kind man, always welcomed you, made you feel at home a told a good story.  He will be missed.

Uncle Lyle was always smiling and happy.  Remembering doing the gardening with them and the cookouts at the house. He will be greatly missed 
Love Butch and Susie Whitaker

Lyle was a great person and brother and will be greatly missed 
Love Howard and Mary Ann Whitaker

Uncle Lyle will be missed before I started having my breathing troubles loved his Weenie Roast.  I remember one time it must of been in the 90's and he wanted to have one for Katie when she got in town.  We couldn't hardly get up to the fire so hot. : )

I knew Lyle first as a neighbor (his home was next to my office building), then as an incredibly gracious and helpful neighbor, and then a friend. He began on his own accord cutting our grass and doing small kindnesses for me and my office mates. I got to know him doing various small legal jobs for him, and he became a favorite. To the end he was a joy to be around, and never seemed in a bad mood despite his illness. I regret that I was not able to take him up on his offer to come to his home and shoot guns. I am sure that would have been a day to remember. But I count myself lucky as one of the hundreds (if not thousands) of people his life touched. We would all do well to model our lives after his. He will certainly be missed.

Lyle Whitaker was many things to many people. He was a loving husband, a beloved father and uncle, a crazy grandpa and a partner in crime to his great grandson, William. He was a father figure, mentor and friend to not just his immediate family but to a great number of people who needed someone like him in their life. Whether he was helping to give a vocation and a fresh start to those in need or providing holiday celebrations where everyone was welcomed. He was endlessly generous.

Grandpa was a very intelligent man. He spent his life in the pursuit of knowledge, mainly on his own. A self-educated man with a voracious curiosity about the world, he worked not only to gain knowledge but to pass it on to his children, his grandchildren, and just about anybody who would listen, including, but not exclusive to, the neighbors, the mailman, and numerous grocery clerks, gas station attendants, waitresses, etc etc.
Grandpa was a very creative guy. He wrote stories, dream journals and poems. His most recent work was (read An Ode to the Blue Heron.   His intelligence and creativity were the backbone of his relationship with my sister, Jennifer. Jennifer and Grandpa are two of the smartest people I know. They are both storytellers in their own ways and for the last 20 years have been working to tell the story of our family. Grandpa by interviewing, researching and writing, Jennifer by being his constant reader, editor, critic and sounding board. Jennifer will have the challenge and honor of completing this work, a piece of Grandpa that will live in print for all of us and forever. And they are both such dorks - watching the two of them geek out about science fiction had me rolling my eyes fondly on more than one occasion.

Grandpa was competitive. Whether it was doing a 100 mile bike race, playing croquet with the family, chess with Alex and William, or dominos, he was a fighter. And a cheater. But he didn't always cheat to win - sometimes he cheated so you could. Alex encapsulated Grandpa's nature in a recent letter, describing him as "the same person who would let me win in chess for a few years, spent the next five sending my croquet ball as far as he could, with a cracking noise followed by howling laughter."

Grandpa was fun and this was readily apparent in his relationships with Will And Alex. Again, Alex's letter perhaps puts it best "Fun was the most important thing, there never seemed to be a shortage of it, unless a Nascar race was on, God help me if it was two at the same time. Fun came rather easily, but it was also effortful, almost an assignment. There was an effort to collect, maintain, and stress the importance of the classics of comedy. It often felt like I was a student of fun. Laurel and Hardy, the Three Stooges, Abbot and Costello. It was pairs or small groups of trouble-makers. Fools, always lovable fools, with good hearts. That can't be a coincidence. Will got the same education with the addition of Calvin and Hobbes and Rocky and Bullwinkle. Again, lovable pairs of fools. 
Grandpa was tireless. Who builds a pergola when they are 87, a paintball field when they are 88, or a 150 square foot shed when they are 89? My grandpa that's who.

Grandpa was hilarious. Not only did he have a great sense of humor, his sense of mischief was paramount. I remember going out with Grandma and leaving a five year old William in the care of his Great Grandpa. When we returned, my child, who had never had caffeine, was gulping down a can of Mountain dew. When I asked where he got it, he said Grandpa. When I asked Grandpa where he got it, he said he found it in the front yard and figured it was okay because it hadn't been opened! As you can see, there is a reason why when Will stayed over at Stop 11, Grandma was in charge of Will and Will was in charge of Grandpa. Of course, Will could let the power go to his head, see exhibit 1, 2 & 3: fights over bacon, tractors and matchbox cars.
That devilish humor was the thing that Grandpa and I bonded over the most. That and Will. At one time or the other, Grandpa and I either made you laugh hard or want to walk away fast,  with what we liked to think of as our wit and humor. And grandpa had an abundance of both. To us, he passed on a love of life, a sense of connection, compassion, and the importance of a sense of humor.
Grandpa had two men he called sons in law, Mike and Tedd. While at times he could be competitive with them, he always loved them, had complete faith in their abilities and the utmost respect for how they raised his grandchildren. He felt that those he loved were in good hands.

Grandpa always told my mom she was his favorite daughter in law. Of course, Mom was his only daughter in law as she repeatedly reminded him, which just made grandpa giggle like a madman. Their relationship spanned over 40 years from the time my dad and she started dating in high school through the tough times of dad's illness and their divorce, to the years Mom and Mike spent raising my sister and I, to these last years when grandpa got to share the joy of grandparenthood with Mom. Mom and Grandpa could butt heads like the best of them but great love and mutual respect was always the hallmark of their relationship. There were few people who could put old Lyle in his place better than my mom.

Aunt Katie was, on the other hand, Grandpa's favorite daughter.   I think that Grandpa loved Katie about as much as any father alive has ever loved a child. Grandpa and Aunt Katie were amazing to watch together. He would challenge her constantly, while at the same time having complete faith in her ability to meet any challenge. Katie Mae is a dynamo, just like her father.

Grandpa was a loving man. He loved Milam's and Marshes, Brehob's and Stratis's, Rowland's and Ladd's and Baker's and, of course all his Whitaker's. But there was one person he loved more than anyone in this world, my grandmother. Whether she was Rusty, Emma Mae, or Rosalita, Grandpa loved Grandma in a way that is rare. Even through the struggles, tragedy, and adversity over the years their friendship and love was strong and will live on in the family they have created. 
I'd like to close with a moment that I shared with Grandpa.   I was having a hard time when William was an infant and I was in graduate school. As I was upset and crying, Grandpa calmed me with one simple statement, "This is just an episode in your life." As much as Grandpa lived in the moment, he could also look past the moment and see each challenge and obstacle as just a rock in the path, an episode in your life. This sentiment has guided me ever since and is the way I strive to see my world and live my life.

Love and miss him daily.  They don't make them like Grandpa anymore.

We will always love and cherish you Lyle! We love you Rusty!

In loving memory of a wonderful person. We will love you and miss you always.

So sorry I couldn't be there. I love all u.

Grandpa was my friend, my playmate, my fellow artist, my Hercule Poirot, my sage, my debating partner. I still laugh when I remember the time he called me a sophist. Nobody better than Lyle. My gratitude, love ❤ and affection know no bounds. Except perhaps in the case of big toe holds!

Where to start with all the wonderful memories?  Traipsing  over to the little house to trick or treat....and showing up again for several days!  Sitting under the big trees at grandpa's during the rain. Watching the lightening  bugs...sharing our tears and the family's  stories.  I read every word of the huge hand typed history of the Whitaker  family,  laughed  at your jokes, had to keep a dictionary  at my side to look up some words...you made learning fun!     We have been separated by distance and now by death but never will the love pass away.  Uncle Lyle  you are loved. Aunt Rusty, Katie, and family sending heartfelt  hugs to you. God bless you all and I love you. Sharon  and Bob.

I,too-never had the chance to meet Katie's dad,Lyle-but just by knowing Katie,I know he must have been a  kind,gentle soul.  I pray that he rest in the arms of the angels, and may he watch over his family from above.

 We will miss you every day, Lyle.  Thank you for helping us create memories that will always be with us and for being a part of our lives.  We love you.

I regret not having the honor of meeting Lyle but I have had the pleasure of talking to him on the phone when he would call my husband Bill Whitaker. He was a hoot to talk to. Bill told me that Lyle would have been the person he would have hung out with if they had lived closer. Bill told me that Lyle was a very interesting man to talk to & could talk about most anything. Bill also enjoyed his humor. Lyle will be missed but never forgotten.
Bill & Rae Whitaker (Hailey, Idaho)

I was so very sorry to learn of the passing of your Dad, Katie. I know that you admired his work ethic and determination and you loved him very much. I know you will be a help to your mom and family at this difficult time. 
Please accept our deepest sympathy.
Love,
Gary and Joyce

To a loving husband who will never be forgotten. All my love, Rusty

I will always remember Lyle as being someone that was concerned about 'how to help others'. When Katie and I got our first house, Lyle taught me how to fix things, light plumbing, carpentry and more. He bought me my first Craftsman tool chest and the tools to go with it. He even had my name engraved on it. I was impressed with his many talents as a farmer, builder, writer, intellectual, and giver to anybody that he knew or didn't know that had a need. If he could help, he would. That is how I will remember Lyle. A true Renaissance Man.

Uncle Lyle is cemented in my very earliest memories.  Sharon and I were hugged and carried around by dad's brothers, Lyle, Richard and Howard.  Aunt Rusty, Aunt Patty and Aunt MaryAnne.  Were also in the picture.  Two little sisters couldn't have had more love.  I'm 71 now and carry all of you my heart.  There is. Big hole that Uncle Lyle filled.  In later years he would take me to White Castle to fulfill my childhood memories of those wonderful burgers.  One year he picked the sweet corn from his patch and boiled it up for me.  Grandpa Whitaker had just had eye surgery and he showed up in the pickup.  We asked grandpa how did he get down the hill.  Said he put the truck on the center line and drove to Lyles for the corn.  Uncle Lyle just had a super laugh at that but imagine he was relieved grandpa made safely down the hill.  Uncle Lyles spirit will remain with all of us.  When we are sad we can just imagine him sending us his love and infectious smile. Hugs to you Aunt Rusty.

With Grandpa, fun was the most important thing. There never seemed to be a shortage of it, unless a Nascar race was on, God help me if two at the same time. Fun came rather easily, but it was also effortful, almost an assignment. There was an effort to collect, maintain, and stress the importance of the classics in comedy or science fiction. It often felt like I was a student of fun. Laurel and Hardy, The Three Stooges, Abbot and Costello. It was often pairs, or small groups of trouble-makers. Fools, always lovable fools, with good hearts. That can't be a coincidence. I only hope to spend my last decades, as well as my last months as well as Grandpa did. Love you Grandpa.

I have so many memories with you & Uncle Lyle it's hard to sort out a favorite. I'd have to say the evening I spent with him laying under the stars one summer in Kentucky still makes me smile the most. Love to you Aunt Rusty.
Love, Cory, Heather, Ariel, Seth, Levi, & Sabrina

Our condolences to the Whitaker family, especially to Katie whom we've known for many years. We know that your wonderful memories and strong faith will help you through this difficult time.

Dad was a wonderful Father, Grandfather, Great Grandfather and friend to each one of us. We love him and will miss him.

Uncle Lyle was one of the greatest men I have ever known. He lived life to the fullest. I have so many fond memories of spending time with Uncle Lyle, Aunt Rusty, Grandpa and Grandma. He was funny, intelligent, interesting, witty, the jokester, comedian, loving and all around great guy.  I will forever cherish the last conversations, tears, laughs and jokes we shared on our way to the farm. You will always have a special place in my heart. Love always.

He was just so special! I enjoyed all the times I got to spend with him, he was one of a kind! Such a great Dad and Grandfather! He will be missed....

On our trips to Indianapolis, we will miss not being able to see this sweet man..  In the few short years we knew him, we were all blessed.  He loved our grandson unconditionally as he did all and was a wonderful mentor to him.  His infectious humor was always a little mischievous with a twinkle in his eyes!  Our prayers are that God will comfort Rusty and all the family with the knowledge that he touched so many and now is celebrating his arrival in Heaven.  Much Love, Carolyn & Randy

OBITUARY

Edgar "Lyle" Whitaker

March 21, 1925 – September 26, 2015

Little & Sons Funeral Home

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