ERNEST S. WHITMAN
Sept. 27, 1938-July 21, 2015
Ernest Shelton Whitman, 76, a resident of the Jones Grove Church community, Mount Olive, was called home Tuesday, July 21, to be with his Lord and Savior.
His life will be celebrated in a service at 7 p.m. Friday, July 24, at Tyndall Funeral Home, officiated by pastor Doug Bartlett and pastor Jeff Dail, with visitation to immediately follow. Entombment will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 25, at Whitman Family Cemetery in the Brock's Chapel community. Full military honors will be rendered.
Mr. Whitman is survived by his wife of nearly 58 years, Bertie Faye Jones Whitman; three sons and daughters-in-law, the Rev. Shelton Dean Whitman and Wanda Kunau Whitman of Mount Olive, Larry Edward Whitman and Robin Tillman Whitman of Pennsylvania and Steven Mark Whitman and Sherrie Wiggins Whitman of Mount Olive; six grandchildren, Rebecca Jane Whitman, Melissa Whitman Sausaman and husband, Daniel Paul Sausaman, Allison Whitman Sullivan and husband, Wade Allison Sullivan II, Courtney Marie Whitman, Jason Edward Whitman and Olivia Danielle Whitman; six great-grandchildren, Abigail Joy Sausaman, Ariel Marie Sausaman, Wade Allison Sullivan III, Grey Edward Sullivan, Lexi Grace Sullivan and Addison Gracie Whitman; a brother and sister-in-law, Jerry Whitman and Dixie Whitman of Canton, Ga.; a sister, Dorothy Whitman Hardy and her significant other, Andy Mendiola, of Kinston; several special nieces and nephews; and last but not least, his beloved pet poodle, "Gigi."
Family members who have preceded him in death include two infant sons, Jonathan Steele Whitman and David Ernest Whitman; his parents, Rob and Ethel Jones Whitman; and a brother, Robert Steele Whitman III.
Mr. Whitman was a proud American, having served in the United States Army. During his 20-year service era, he was an infantryman, an artilleryman, staff sergeant, sergeant first class, first sergeant, a ranger and a member of the 101st Airborne "Screaming Eagles," and he served several tours of duty in Vietnam, Korea and Germany, two of which stood out among the others.
His first duty was in Korea as the war ended. He lived under combat conditions, and actually helped develop Pyongyang. Another tour worthy of mention was in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive Military Campaign. He was on the DMZ and again, lived under combat conditions for his entire tour, which involved his being in several major battles for which he received several awards.
Upon his military retirement, he became employed with Mount Olive Pickle Co., where he served as maintenance and shipping supervisor.
He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9959 in Mount Olive and the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 45 in Goldsboro.
Being of the holiness faith, he worshipped at Mount Olive First Pentecostal Holiness Church for as long as his health allowed.
In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial gifts to Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 45, 212 E. Mulberry St., Goldsboro, N.C., 27530, or any local veterans organization.
A Tyndall service.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on July 23, 2015 1:48 PM