Robert Orvis Whitaker

Mass of Christian Burial for Robert Orvis Whitaker, 90, Lawrence, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Lawrence. Burial with military honors will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Lawrence.
He died Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
He was born Aug. 2, 1919, in Paola, the son of Don C. and Nancy E. Thomas Whitaker.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a retired major in the United States Army Reserve.
He worked at DuPont for 25 years, retiring in 1982 as a safety supervisor.
He was a member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, American Legion Dorsey-Liberty Post No. 14, Veterans of Foreign Wars Alford-Clarke Post No. 852, and Eagles Lodge No. 595 B.P.O.E., all in Lawrence.
He married Nancy A. Doyle on June 16, 1944, in San Francisco. She preceded him in death on Dec. 11, 2008.
He was also preceded in death by two brothers, Louis and Theodore, and one sister, Elizabeth Hall.
Survivors include two sons, Robert D. and wife Kathy, Portland, Ore., and Patrick J. and wife Veronica, Helena, Mont.; two daughters, Kathleen E. Cook and husband Stanford, Olympia, Wash., and Mary W. Davidson and husband Michael, Lawrence; three brothers, Don B., Lawrence, Richard, New Carrollton, Md., and Phillip, Overland Park; 15 grandchildren, Carolyn, Nathan, Ben, Jesse, Tim, Brandon, Eve, Justin, Jamie, Jon, Jaclyn, Julie, Amanda, Ivan and Daniel; and six great-grandchildren, Tuyen, Tyera, Ty, Mason, Quaye and Deja.
The family will greet friends from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at Warren-McElwain Mortuary.
The family suggests memorials to Douglas County Visiting Nurses, Rehabilitation and Hospice Care, sent in care of the mortuary, 120 W. 13th St., Lawrence, KS 66044.
Online condolences may be sent at warrenmcelwain.com.