Obituary of F. Wendell Whitford, Jr.

Wendell Whitford, 67 of North Liberty, died Wednesday, November 17, 2010, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, November 21, 2010, at the First Presbyterian Church in Iowa City, with the Reverend Samuel Massey officiating. A reception will follow in the fellowship hall of the church and everyone is welcome. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Wendell’s memory to First Presbyterian Church in Iowa City, Iowa City Chamber Singers, or the Friends of the Boundary Waters. Online condolences may be sent for his family through the web @ www.gayandciha.com. Floyd Wendell Whitford Jr. was born January 10, 1943, in Ft. Bragg, NC, to Floyd Wendell Whitford Sr. and Jewel (Gragg) Whitford. The family moved to West Union, Iowa where he was raised and completed high school. He went on to graduate from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa with a teaching degree. On December 28, 1968, Wendell was united in marriage to Judy McConnell in Osceola, Iowa. The couple raised their family in Cedar Rapids where Wendell was an Industrial Arts Instructor at Franklin Junior High School for many years, until accepting a similar position at Moorhead High School in MN. While living in MN, Wendell and Judy owned Isleview Resort on South Lida Lake. After teaching for 36 years, he retired in 2002. At that time he and Judy returned to Eastern Iowa to join his son in rebuilding their house. Wendell was an active member of First Presbyterian Church and the Iowa City Chamber Singers. He was an avid outdoorsman and craftsman who traveled to the boundary waters with family and friends over 20 times, sharing his enthusiasm for life’s details at every turn. His family includes his wife, Judy; son Brien and his wife, Jennifer, their children, Savannah, Brookelyn, Kennedey and Charleigh; daughter Cara Whitford and her husband, Mason Gordon and their children, Olivia and Eliza; Wendell’s siblings, Jo Griffith, Clark Whitford (Ebby), and Mary Wickstrom (Russell); step-sister Wanda Whitford (Don); step-brothers, Stan Shaffer (Sharon) Dennis Shaffer (Anita) and Jon Shaffer (Vera). Wendell was preceded in death by his parents and step-mother, Clara Whitford. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Wendell’s family and his services.