Edward Louis Whitman's Obituary
Edward Louis Whitman, age 84 passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday, January 2, 2021. He was born August 6, 1936 in Linden, TX to Grant and Arvelia Mack Whitman. He moved to Dallas,TX in 1953. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1955. While at Lincoln High School, he recognized his love for singing by joining the Harry T. Burleigh Choir under the direction of the late Maureen Bailey.
He attended Fisk University in Nashville, TN where he sang with the renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers. He was a member of Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity and Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music in 1958. He subsequently obtained a Masters in Supervision from East Texas State University.
While attending Fisk, he met the love of his life, Willa Faye Lockridge. Ed and Faye married on December 28, 1958 at the Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Fort Worth, TX. From this union two children were born: LaTanya Faye Whitman and Edward Gerard Whitman.
Ed began his career as a music teacher in the Dallas Independent School District in 1959. He
founded the “Harris Folk Singers” when he was a music teacher at the Fannie C. Harris elementary school. He retired from DISD and became a professional Sales Representative for the Pfizer Pharmaceutical company, where he was employed for 30+ years.
He received numerous achievement awards while working for Pfizer. In 1996 he received the “Pfizer Black Achiever Award” presented by the Harlem Branch YMCA of Greater New York. He was awarded for being a great motivator and pacesetter for black youth.
He retired from Pfizer in 1990. He then began working for MacGill School Nurse Supplies as a part-time Sales Consultant. He was responsible for attending School Nurse conferences in Texas and throughout the country.
Ed joined the Hamilton Park United Methodist Church in 1959 under the pastorate of Rev. Zan W. Holmes. He actively served for many years in the church choir. He later became a member of Golden Gate Baptist Church under the pastorate of the late C.B.T. Smith and also Greater Golden Gate Missionary Baptist Church under the pastorate of Fabian Jacko, Pastor.
Ed was amazingly generous and very active within the community. He served on many boards and gave his time to several community outreach programs as a volunteer. He served as a former President of the Dunbar Social and Charity Club, President of Couples Incorporated of Dallas, the Regular Fellows Club of Dallas, and the Lions Club of Plano. He also served on the board for the Joseph E. Lockridge Scholarship Foundation, was a member of the Fisk Alumni, and Washington, Lincoln Alumni Associations.
Ed was preceded in death by his parents Grant Whitman and Arvelia Mack Whitman, sisters Ola Faye Jackson, Delia Mae Perry, Myrtle Maureen Wilson, and Merlin Jean Sims.
He leaves to cherish his memories, his wife of 62 years, Willa Faye Lockridge Whitman, daughter LaTanya Faye Whitman (Kevin Perkins) of Frisco TX, son Edward Gerard Whitman of Dallas, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Due to COVID-19, the funeral service will be restricted to immediate family only. However, the service will be viewable online starting at 12:00PM on Tuesday, January 12 by clicking the following link:
http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/44734
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