John Grant Whitaker (1864-1959)

WHITAKER, BAKER, BELCHER, DOBSON, ELLIOT, HAND, HUMISTON, JONES, MILLER, MOHR, ROBISON, RUTH, SCOTT

Posted By: Sandra Breitkreutz (email)
Date: 4/30/2003 at 10:04:56

SERVICES HERE FOR GRANT WHITAKER, 94, NATIVE OF COUNTY
(From "Nevada (Iowa) Evening Journal," March 23, 1959

Funeral services for Grant Whitaker, 94, native of Story County, were held from the Immanuel Evangelical United Brethren church in Nevada Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock with the Rev. Robert W. Link officiating.

Howard Peterson, soloist, sand two songs, "When They Ring Those Golden Bells," and "Good Night and Good Morning," accompanied by Miss Beeula [sic] Settle at the organ.

The casket bearers were Clark Belcher (1), Verle Jones (2), Milton Mohr, Emmett Scott, Clay Robinson (3) and Elmer Whitaker. Burial was made in the Iowa Center cemetery (4).

LIFE SKETCH: John Grant Whitaker, only son of Samuel, and his wife, Harriet Miller Whitaker, was born near Iowa Center, Iowa, March 20, 1864, and died at Pasadena, Calif. March 15, 1959. He had attained the age of 94 years, 11 months, 26 days.

At Nevada, Iowa, on March 15, 1886, he united in marriage with Miss Julia Ann Hand, whose parental home was on a farm in the Iowa Center community. To this union five children were born: Curtis William, Laura A., Floyd A., Mattie Lillian and Charles Ray. Mrs. Whitaker died at her home near Nevada, Nov. 10, 1901. Her two daughters took over the housekeeping work for the family.

When the deceased was 28 years of age he and his wife were converted in evangelistic services held in Nevada. Shortly afterward Mr. And Mrs. Whitaker united with the United Evangelical church in Iowa Center and for many years the family made this their church home, and were actively engaged in the work of the church. Mr. Whitaker served as financial steward and other official capacities in the church. The one which gave him greatest pleasure was his responsibilities as class leader, which work he served a number of years.

At his farm home 7 miles southeast of Nevada on Feb. 21, 1912 he united in marriage with Miss Bertha D. Humiston of University Park, Iowa. They continued to make their home on the farm until the spring of 1945, when they moved to Ames. In August 1946, they moved to their home in Nevada. On Dec. 29, 1953 Mrs. Whitaker died. And in the spring of 1954 Mr. Whitaker closed the home and moved to Pasadena, Calif. To be near his son Curtis W. and daughter Laura and other relatives.

Several years before he had retired from the farm, the church at Iowa Center was closed and they transferred their membership to the Evangelical United Brethren church in Nevada. In this Christian fellowship he was faithful until his death.

Shortly after his conversion he became interested in the Christian work of the National Holiness Association, and helped promote the work in the homeland and foreign countries. For more than fifty consecutive years he attended the annual camp meeting of the Association, and at the time of his death was also a charter member of the Boone-Story County Holiness Association.

READ BIBLE THROUGH 18 TIMES: He was familiar with the holy scriptures, having read the entire Bible through more than eighteen times, and he loved gospel songs and hymns. Through his Christian lifetime he has distributed many tracts, teaching materials and periodicals, new testaments and Bibles. While living in California, he has attended the services of the First Nazarene church of Pasadena, Calif. As his health permitted.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his five sisters, a son, Curtis William. Surviving of his immediate family are: Mrs. Laura Ruth Dobson,(5) Pasadena, Calif., Floyd A., Minneapolis, Minn., Mrs. Mattie L. Baker (6) of Boone and Charles Ray, Tulsa, Okla. Besides these are ten grandchildren, twenty-one great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren, and a number of nieces and nephews.

FOOTNOTES by Sandra Breitkreutz:
1. Clark Belcher was Grant Whitaker’s nephew and the son of Sam and Ida (Whitaker) Belcher.
2. Verle Jones was Grant Whitaker’s great-nephew, son of Harry and Bertha (Elliot) Jones and grandson of Al and Mary Elizabeth (Whitaker) Jones.
3. Clay ROBISON (this is the correct spelling) was Grant Whitaker’s nephew and the son of E.R. and Mattie (Whitaker) Robison.
4. Iowa Center cemetery is also known as Woodland cemetery
5. Grant’s daughter, Laura Whitaker, was married first to Rev. Ruth, and second to Rev. Dobson.
6. Grant’s daughter, Mattie Whitaker was married to Rev. Ray Baker