Robert Whitney

Robert Whitney, age 63, of La Grande died February 13, 2005 at the Grande Ronde Hospital. A memorial will begin at 11:00 a.m. Saturday at the Hrvester's Church of the Nazarene in Elgin.

Mr. Whitney was born July 12, 1941, to Walla Andrew and Harrieett May Woodworth Whitney in Roseburg, Oregon. He grew up in the Portland area and on January 7, 1967 he married Yvonne Barron there. He played minor league baseball for two years and played four games in the major leagues for the Chicago White Sox as a catcher. He coached Little League for 11 years and in 1987 he was the color commentator for a Portland Beavers game. In 1974 the camily moved to La Grande where he worked as a custodian at Eastern Oregon College and as a CNA working with Alzheimer's patients before retiring in 2001.

He served on the Lifespan Advisory Council and for the last 30 years he was the head delivery man for the Bridal Bouquet Flower Shop, which he and his wife owned. He was a member of the Nazarene Church in Elgin where he taught Caravan and Sunday school, and sang in the church choir. He enjoyed learning about geography and made a habit of writing letters to chambers of commerce all over the world. He enjoyed the outdoors and spending time with his family. He told his children they could accomplish anything they put their minds to. He always remembered names.

Survivors include his wife of La Grande, children, Marette Estelle Whitney of Portland, Gayla Anne Harrell of Aloha and Dean Andrew Whitney of Athol, Idaho; two grandchildren and a brother, Bill Whitney of Portland.