Mr. Barney Hollis Whitman, 92, passed away Wed., April 8, 2015 at his home in Morriston, FL. Mr. Whitman was born April 8, 1923 in Juliette, Georgia and moved to Morriston from Hardee County, FL in 2003. He was a painting and decorating contractor and a member of First Christian Church of Wauchula, FL. Mr. Whitman was a WWII U.S. Army veteran, serving with Gen. George Patton's Third Army, a 69 year member of the Bowling Green Masonic Lodge, and a 32nd degree member of the Scottish Rite in Tampa. He started the Twiggs Chapter of the Sons of the Confederacy in Wauchula, served on the Hardee County Pioneer Park Board for 32 years, and was a longtime member of the Hardee County Historical Society. Mr. Whitman graduated Fort Meade High School and attended Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Barney O. Whitman and Cora Irene Jackson Whitman; his wife of 35 years, Ruth Shelton Whitman, and his wife of 20 years, Alma Porterfield Whitman; two brothers and one sister.
Mr. Whitman is survived by his daughter, June Faye Whitman Blalock, Morriston, FL; son, Lewis Wayne Whitman and wife Theresa, Lakeland, FL; grandchildren, Kenneth Ray Blalock and wife Cherie, Keith Cody Blalock and wife Wanda, Kevin Lewis Blalock; great-grandchildren, Coty Blalock, Kelsie Blalock and Brianna Blalock, Wesley Blalock, Clayton Blalock, Garrett Whitman; step-great-grandchildren, Daphne Maddox and Wesley Maddox; great-great-grandchildren, Talon Garrett and Ellie Garrett; step-great-great-grandchildren, Logan Maddox and Haley Maddox.
Visitation will be held 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Thursday, April 9, 2015 at Hancock Funeral Home, 945 E. Broadway, Fort Meade, FL. Funeral services will be held from the graveside at 2:00pm, Friday, April 10, 2015 in Bowling Green Cemetery, Bowling Green, FL.
Hancock Funeral Home, Fort Meade, FL 863-285-8171