07/28/05 — Deputy will retire after 30 years with Duplin

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Deputy will retire after 30 years with Duplin

By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on July 28, 2005 1:45 PM

CALYPSO -- Lt. Richard "Peanut" Whitman at the Calypso satellite office retires today after 30 years with the Duplin County Sheriff's Office.

His wife, Nona, has planned a retirement service and reception for 3 p.m. Sunday at the Faison Baptist Church, where he is a lay speaker. The public is invited.

Whitman, who is 46, started working for the department as a dispatcher at the age of 17, straight out of high school.

"I have enjoyed my years of service," he said earlier this week. "The people of the county have been good to me, and I hope I've been good to them. There's plenty for me to do still."

Whitman became a licensed lay speaker in 1997 and has been busy ever since then filling in for pastors when they are absent from their congregations. He pastors the first and third Sunday each month at the Bowdens Presbyterian Church and goes where ever he is needed other times.

He said when he has the time, he plans to do a lot of golfing, hunting and fishing.