Age 87
Bill was always a teacher for everyone throughout his 87 years on this earth. He loved sharing his spiritual and intellectual curiosity and love with all his friends and family. He was inspired by the positive example that his mother portrayed as she lived by the simple, hope-giving and often stated phrase, “Everything is going to be all right!” - Bill carried on this way of living as a beacon of hope and guidance - “Everything is going to be all right.”
Billy Marvin Whitley (or Bill) was born November 20, 1934 to Jesse Marvin and Ethel Mae Whitley in De Queen, Arkansas. He left this life on December 30, 2021 to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ while residing in Ragley, Louisiana.
He attended De Queen School through high school, where he used his musical talent as the student director and drum major of his high school band. He then went to McNeese State University, where he pursued two majors in music, both instrumental and vocal.
He used his musical education as choir director and worship leader for several churches in the Lake Charles, Sulphur, Westlake, and Moss Bluff areas for nearly thirty years. He approached the work as a direct calling in his Christian ministry.
He also felt that he was called to teach English and later returned for more education at McNeese. For forty one years, Bill taught junior and senior high school English at Vinton High School and LaGrange High School in Louisiana and Little Cypress Mauriceville High School in Orange, Texas. While he was teaching full-time, he also worked part-time as a commissioned salesperson for ten years, taught homebound students for Calcasieu Parish, and taught speed reading and writing courses for students in the Lake Charles area. While teaching at LaGrange, he also taught English and American History in summer school each year.
Bill also taught the entire Bible for many years in church including the Bible references that appeared in the classical literature of famous authors that he taught in school.
Now on to his family life: Bill has been married to the love of his life, Jan Allen Whitley, for 64 years. Together they raised three wonderful children: Gwen Midkiff, Teri Duncan, and Bryan Whitley. Billy is survived by his children, their spouses Alvin Midkiff, Mark Duncan, and Denise Whitley, 7 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren, and sister Roxy Stephens of De Queen, Arkansas. He was preceded by his brother, Jerry Dwight Whitley, and a granddaughter Jill Delaine Midkiff.
Take one look at Bill’s children and grandchildren and you will see the impact his teaching and serving others had on them. All three of his children went on to also teach - Bryan is a Health and Physical Education teacher and coach and Gwen and Teri both worked as paraprofessionals to teach special education children. The countless hours Bill spent helping his grandkids with their English homework helped them also find careers teaching and serving others.
• Derek - executive director for the railroad
• Jesse - police sergeant
• Luke – supervisor
• Delaine - lawyer and teacher
• Emilie – nurse
• Trent – engineer
• Taylor – teacher
While these past few years have certainly been far from normal, Bill would have wanted us to remember the words he lived by, “Everything is going to be all right!”
