Obituary of Richard 'Dick' Whiting

Richard Byron Whiting - December 28, 1923 - January 17, 2010 It is with a heavy heart that the family of Richard Byron Whiting bids a fond farewell to our dad in his 87th year. Born in 1923 in Montreal, Quebec of James Sandford Whiting and Ruth Bechtel Whiting, who took good care that he spent his summers at Oliphant on the Bruce Peninsula with his adventuresome cousins, swimming, singing and playing along the shores of Lake Huron. Dick joined the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II and served overseas as a flying officer bombardier attaining the rank of flight lieutenant. On returning to Canada, he met and married the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, Betty Jo Hurry (Elizabeth Joan). After the birth of their daughters, Sandi and Karen, he graduated with a B.Sc. from McGill University in 1949. He continued to work in the field of industrial sales throughout the 50's, 60's and 70's raising a family of seven children, moving from Montreal to Brantford, Ontario and then to the village of Oakland, where he spent many years playing the organ at the United Church and enjoying an active membership in the South Brant Legion - Branch 463. He was a great lover of music; from his early years singing harmony with his sister Rosemary and his parents, through forties Jazz and big band in Montreal playing trumpet, to learning piano in midlife, he played with great enjoyment and adored jazz. In the seventies, Dick put his scientific ingenuity to work and developed the WAMP, Whiting Air Multiple Punch press and with his much loved son-in-law Quinn Smith found new applications for the invention and began a small business. At retirement Dick moved to Haliburton for a few years where he could be close to his ailing Choey and his son Mark. Returning finally to Brantford, he kept a wall of photographs of all his progeny of whom he was very proud. Predeceased by wife Elizabeth Joan (Choey)(1996), son Scott (1973), daughter Karen (1999) (Quinn Smith), also by his sister Rosemary Pelton (2002). Survived by; loving children, Sandra Manahan, Kimberley Holloway (Peter), Mark (Sheila), Tracey (Tim Ross) and Ty (Lisa); his grandchildren, Jill Manahan, Erin Manahan (Stephen Ingvaldson), Lindsey Hartzel (Ahren), Jeffrey Boatright (Richele), Jodi Rose (Randy Nelson) , Lewis and Spencer Holloway, and Kyle and Cole Whiting and great grandchildren Val and Rafe Ingvaldson and Abigail and Wesley Boatright. He will also be missed by dbnbnbn, Angela Knowles. The family would like to thank the staff at River View Terrace in Brantford for their care and friendship. As a tribute to Dad's open and sociable nature we ask that you meet your fellow human beings with the same friendliness that he exemplified. "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!" A Memorial Service will be held at the Beckett-Glaves Family Funeral Centre, 88 Brant Ave., Brantford on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. A celebration of his life will also be held in the summer at Oliphant, Ontario as we place dad's ashes in the earth with those of our family that have gone before. A tree will be planted in memory of Dick in the Beckett-Glaves Memorial Forest.