Obituary of WILLIAM EARL WHITAKER, SR.

William Earl Whitaker, Sr. went to his heavenly home at the age of 81 on Thursday, December 16, 2021 surrounded by his family at his bedside. Known to most as “Bill,” his family and close friends called him “Willy,” while his legion of faithful tax clients simply requested an appointment with “Mr. Whitaker.” Although the wait time to see Mr. Whitaker for a yearly tax consultation was often lengthy, his customers patiently anticipated their opportunity to visit with the man who became much more than a trusted advisor throughout the years. Bill earned his post-secondary education at Richmond Professional Institute and Mars Hill College. He was employed by State Farm Insurance for 10 years when a company transfer brought the family to Wytheville. Shortly thereafter, a business opportunity became available and he and his wife purchased the local H&R Block office where they worked side by side as owner-operators for over 40 years. They eventually added the Marion H&R Block office to their portfolio, and Bill split his time between the two franchises for many years. Willy was preceded in death by his father and mother, Grady and Gracie Whitaker. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Virginia Whitaker, a son and daughter-in-law, Bill “Whit” and Lois Whitaker of Front Royal, and a daughter and son-in-law, Zella and Mark Dillon of Wytheville. As evidenced by his frequent UVA and VT attire, Willy’s pride and joy included three grandchildren, Abigael Whitaker of Seattle, Graham Dillon of Fairfax, and Maxwell Dillon of Blacksburg. His legacy of kindness, humility, and compassion inspired each of them with a common enthusiasm for public service which is reflected in their chosen professional careers. In addition to his immediate family, Willy is survived by several special golf partners as well as many favorite cousins, nieces, and nephews. For the last seven months, the loving care provided by all of the Wythe Hospice nurses, especially Amy and Rita, offered invaluable support to the whole family. Bill was a longtime member of Wytheville Baptist Church where he served as a Deacon and also filled many other committee positions. For the last 23 years, his membership has been at St. Paul United Methodist Church where every Sunday he and his wife sat in the second row in devoted support of the Church Organist (their daughter). Bill was a willing volunteer for any organization that called upon him but some of his favorites were those he served in recent years including the Agape Food Pantry, the Wythe Humane Society, and transport services for cancer patients in need of treatment. An avid golfer, he and his wife spent much of their spare time on the golf course which eventually became a common passion shared by the entire family. During the last 25 years, Willy and Virginia enjoyed traveling far and wide to support the many endeavors of their grandchildren. A celebration of life service will be held on Monday, December 27th at St. Paul United Methodist Church with Pastor Lon Tobin presiding. Visitation will begin at 12PM and continue until the time of the service at 2PM. Interment will follow at West End Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Wythe Hospice of SWVA or St. Paul United Methodist Church. Alternatively, feel free to honor Bill’s legacy of kindness, humility, and compassion by supporting your favorite charity. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.grubbfuneralhome.com. The Whitaker family is in the care of Grubb Funeral Home in Wytheville, Virginia.