Jack Whitting

Jack Ellis Whitting, 94, of Fayetteville, Ark., passed away early Dec. 27, 2010, at his home after spending his last Christmas with all of his family present. Born Aug. 21, 1916, in Detroit, Mich., to Helen Kathryn and Edwin Ellis Whitting, he served a remarkable career as a professional engineer registered in the states of Kansas and Arkansas. He began his career as an apprentice surveyor and successfully grew his professional status to field engineer designing some of the earliest electric power transmission systems serving the four-state area of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri. He worked for many years for Frank Horton Engineering of Lamar, Mo., managing field engineering operations for electric transmission lines and buried telephone cable systems. Without a college degree in engineering, he successfully completed the requirements to become a registered professional engineer before joining the Ozarks Electric Cooperative in Fayetteville in 1954 as Manager for Engineering Services. He retired from Ozarks Electric in 1981 and has spent most of his retirement enjoying the enlightening experiences of travel with his family and friends. Jack was a member of the Fayetteville Civitan Club and an active worker in its sponsorship of the Hogeye Marathon in its early days. He was a member of the Lamar Masonic Lodge No. 292 and was a 32nd Degree Mason as well as a member of the Scottish Rite. Jack was a Life Member of the Arkansas Air Museum, a part of his lifetime passion for aviation. He is survived by his loving family including his wife Dorothy; his daughter Jane and her husband Dan Payton of Rogers, Ark., and Albuquerque, N.M.; and his son, Steven Ellis Whitting and wife Cheryl of Prairieville, La. He will be missed especially by his granddaughters Janna Payton Morter and husband Ted of Rogers and April Marie Whitting of Prairieville, La. He also leaves the extended family of his wife Dorothy including step-children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who reside in Pennsylvania. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Georgia Evelyn Whitting, mother of his children, and his mother and father. Arrangements are under the care of Moore's Funeral Chapel of Fayetteville. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service celebrating Jack's life will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011 at Moore's Chapel in Fayetteville. To sign the online guest book, visit www.mooresfuneralchapel.com.