Whitten, Jere K., 64, died February 14, 2007 in Avendale, Arizona. A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, March 3, 2007, 10:00 a.m. at Duncan-Graves Funeral Home, Presque Isle. Arrangements are in the care of Duncan-Graves Funeral Home, Presque Isle.
PRESQUE ISLE – It is with grief and sadness that I am writing my brother, Jere Kinney Whitten’s obituary. He left this earth in his sleep on February 14, 2007 in Avendale, Arizona in the company of his “bud” Ron Gartley. Jere was born in Presque Isle, January 29, 1943 the eighth son of Ernest and Elizabeth (Kinney) Whitten.
He is survived by four brothers, Louis and wife Connie Whitten of Florida, Joe and wife Germaine Whitten of Crouseville, Thomas Whitten of Ohio, James and wife Diane Whitten of South Carolina and one sister Dorothy Sines and husband Steven of Mapleton. Two sisters-in-law Frances and Bertie Whitten of Caribou and many nieces and nephews.
Jere had no children but confessed to all his great love for his friend Joyce Bonefant’s two daughters Rebecca and Rachel and their children. Jere became a nanny when Becky (Rebecca) became a mom. He was a great teacher, comforter and supporter of his late mother Elizabeth (Kinney) Whitten Stewart and his nephew Robert Sines of Washburn. Through his 30 years of service in SAD #1 his legacy of being a gifted teacher and a stern disciplinarian lead many of his students to heights not even they believed they could reach. Indeed he left a legacy of hundreds of children.
Jere predeceased many of his good friends but know he spoke of you often. We were fortunate enough to celebrate his last birthday before he left for Arizona. I am sure God and his patron saint Mary were also there because they over heard him tell us that all he wanted was to die quietly and in his sleep so that he would not put people through all we suffered with so many deaths in our family this year. From your lips to God’s ears Jere.
Please join me in the celebration of his life at Duncan-Graves Funeral Home, 30 Church St., Presque Isle, Saturday, March 3, 2007 at 10:00AM. Jere will be interned in Washburn Cemetery, August 2007 following his long timed planned “going out party”. There he will join his mother, father and two brothers, Roger and infant William. We will miss greatly, the teacher, the companion, the golf partner and the brother. In lieu of flowers please make donations to SAD #1 for the Jere Whitten Scholarship, 16 Griffin Street, Presque Isle, 04769 or to Sister Mary O’Donnell Shelter, P.O. Box 1753, Presque Isle, 04769. Condolences may be expressed at www.duncan-graves.com.
