David 
You where a great dear friend 
We had a lot of great times together buddy!
Rick Thompson

I lost track of David almost 4 years ago and I don’t even know how it came to that aside from cellphone number changes and such because David had been one of my best friends for close to 30 years. I dreamt about my buddy last night and I ran a search on his name but instead of finding him I found his obituary and it breaks my heart. I met David in 1989 when we were both working at LMS, we shared an office and we became life long friends and for almost 3 decades we spoke on the phone at least once or twice a week. I knew every family member by name even though I never met them in life. From his dad Henry James down to his nieces and nephew. His weekly updates on Momma, the cats each one with their own unique personality and the story on how they became part of the family.I shared his optimism and happiness through every relationship, the ups and downs and every disillusionment. We worked together at 2-3 places and sometimes we didn’t see each other for years but our telephone conversations were always constant even after he left Houston and moved to Lufkin to be with momma. And his jokes always made my day because he had a knack for telling them just the right way.  He used to call me Queen Bea or Bebe Baby and I don’t know why but I always called him Whitten, rarely ever David or Dave. But in the early days pretty much everyone called him West Texas or Whitten. We talked of family, our jobs, our relationships, mutual friends as well as some that we didn’t have in common, we traded jokes and life events and we fought about politics and yes he would have made a hell of a sports commentator. With Whitten you always knew where you stood because he didn’t pull any punches and he said exactly what was in his mind. Sometimes it was hilarious & sometimes it just left people stupefied because they didn’t know whether he was serious or just joking, they didn’t know whether to laugh or feel offended but that was David. He came to see me a few years ago and we took some selfies

I met Dave in 1981 in Houston when I moved there temporarily from Indiana while taking a break from college.  He was the first person I met when I got there that spoke more than two words to me.  When I left Houston 6 months later we stayed in contact.  He came to Bloomington to visit once and we drove to Chicago to see the Cubs.  It was "No Lights" day at Wrigley and we got tee shirts for buying a bleacher seat for $2.  I know I still have mine, as well as the memory of one of the best days of my life.  I moved back to Houston 2 years later and we saw each other often until he moved back to Lufkin, after which we talked on the phone a lot.  I've made 17 calls to Dave's cell phone since the first of the year, and just found out the news today.  Dave taught me how to collect bills, which spun into a different career for me, but it was the first skill I learned after school and I learned from one of the best.  Dave wasn't friends with my friends, and I wasn't friends with any of his, but I sure knew them all by name.   I never met Henry or Francis, but I got weekly updates on Mama.  I met Robert once, but I'm sure we wouldn't know each other if we passed on the street.   Dave sent money to my daughter every year on her birthday and Christmas, even though they never met.  When she was 10 and said she wanted to open a cafe in New York some day, he sent her $20 and a note encouraging her and insisting on being the first investor.  He sent her a train set for her third Christmas.  We used each other as a sounding board for all of the crap going on in our lives for the past 37 years,  and I'm not sure how I'm going to replace that.   I know for sure that when I need to reach out and talk to close friend about something important in my life, I'm going to have to keep reminding myself not to speed dial WT.  I really miss you buddy, you've been such an important part of my life.  

I met David aka Bobby B while working at Salvation Army together . He was a jokester we had nick names for each other , I was bouvea to him  and he was Bobby b to me lol . He loved  his mom dearly and all his cats and great nieces he was always talking about them and sending me pictures because he was so proud of them . He was always so excited for Christmas to come around every year . He would get so excited when Christmas stuff would come in to the thrift store he couldn’t wait to buy them . I will always have those memories of him and he will be truly missed . I pray for his family during this difficult time and the days to come . 

Met David after high school in the early 70's. We ran around together since & made a lot of good memories. I will miss his jokes, friendship & times we'd go on our road trips. These things are hard to take but are part of life. God bless you for being a friend.

 Very fond  childhood memories of this family! Loved growing up in the same neighborhood .  I remember going to visit with my mom, it was always a happy time, usually with Francis giving me a snack!  Very sweet and loving family and I am so sorry for your loss. May God bless you and comfort you at this time.  My prayers are with you. 

OBITUARY

David Whitten

May 8, 1951 – January 17, 2019

Gipson Funeral Home & Garden of Memories Memorial Park

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