Obituaries / LJWorld.com

Obituaries

Jack Eugene Whitehead passed away peacefully at his home on Wednesday, Jan. 9. He was a devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather. Jack was born on April 2, 1930 to Oran and Frances Whitehead in Topeka, KS and lived there until 1961.
Upon graduation from Topeka High School, Jack joined the Navy and served on the battleship, USS Harold J. Ellison for one year. He was able to see a lot of the world and had many fond memories of his Navy experience.
On May 12, 1950 he married the love of his life, Carole Lee Shaw. They had four children and continued to live in Topeka for a number of years. During this time, Jack was a police officer for the Topeka Police Department. He then moved his family to Lawrence, KS in 1961 to manage Allen’s Drive-In. Jack had a special heart for disabled people and employed a number of them at the drive-in. Jack always stood up for the “underdog”. He taught his children the meaning of hard work and gave them valuable experiences at his businesses. He also owned and operated Jayhawk Food Mart until its sale. In 1976, Jack and Carole moved to Edmond, OK. where he led a successful career in the food service industry. He was a member of the Edmond Church of Christ for 36 years.
Jack was an avid golfer and sports fan. He was a lifelong fan of Kansas Jayhawk basketball and watched many games at Allen Field house over the years. Jack also treasured the times he spent fishing with his sons and grandchildren. His favorite fishing spots were at his son’s pond in Goldsby, OK and Lake Texhoma. Jack loved the Colorado mountains and looked forward to visiting his daughter and son-in-law in Colorado springs.
Jack is survived by his wife Carole; his daughter Dianne and her husband Richard Heltzel; his son Don and his wife Susan; his son Jeff and his wife Tommye; his daughter-in-law and her husband Mike Ray; his daughter- in-law Debbi Akridge; nine grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren and his brother Jim.
Jack was preceded in death by his beloved son, Joe.
Funeral services will be held at Edmond Church of Christ on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 2:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery. We would like to thank Interim Healthcare Hospice for their excellent care. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the “In Search of the Lord’s Way: in care of the Edmond Church of Christ.
Services are under the Direction of Matthews Funeral Home and Cremation Service.
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