Hiram Evans Whitaker

Hiram Evans "Eddie" Whitaker, born to Harvey and Oma Whitaker in the McCulloch County town of Rochelle, Texas, passed away at the age of 85 on September 12, 2010. After growing up In Rochelle, Eddie graduated from Rochelle High School in 1942. At seventeen years of age, Eddie served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific during World War II. Later, he attended San Angelo Junior College and Hardin Simmons University. In Abilene, Eddie served as a Director of the "New Texas Veterans for Ike Club" during Eisenhower's presidential campaign. He also served as an Assistant State Director of the A.A.R.P. in 1991 and 1992, was an ombudsman for 15 years for the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Service, and did volunteer work for the West Central Texas Council of Governments. Presently, Eddie was serving on the Area Agency on Aging Committee. Eddie was a member of and a deacon at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church where he served as Chairman of the Deacons in 1986. He was a past member of the Bible Study Fellowship and the Intergenerational Sunday School Class. Eddie married Mary Louise Beeler on February 18, 1949, in Abilene, Texas. With the exception of a few years living in Ardmore, Oklahoma, Altus, Oklahoma, and Birmingham, Alabama, they resided in Abilene. During his work from 1959 to 1962, Eddie was employed by General Dynamics Astronautics installing intercontinental ballistic missile components in silos located near Altus. He transferred to Birmingham and was employed by Hayes International (Airport) as an analyst with the Defense Department. In 1964, Eddie returned to Abilene and was again employed by General Dynamics Astronautics dismantling the now obsolete silos and ICBMs. Rather than move again, he secured employment with the U.S. Post Office. He retired from the U.S. Post Office in 1990, where he worked in the Finance Department. Eddie was preceded in death by his parents, Harvey and Oma Whitaker; brothers H.F. and Barrett Whitaker; and his sisters, Iris Dell Osborne and Ella Wray Hammontree. He is survived by his wife and two sons, Keith and wife, Kim, of Fairfield, Texas; Craig and wife, Cindy, of Huntsville, Alabama; and brother Joe and wife, Earlene Whitaker, of Princeton, Texas. Eddie enjoyed his six grandchildren, Amanda Williams, Joshua Whitaker, Timothy Whitaker, Sarah Whitaker, Micah Whitaker, and Annie Whitaker. His great grandchildren, Alyssa and Kaylee Williams brought him great joy, as well as several nieces and nephews. Visitation will be from 6-8pm, Tuesday, September 14, at the Hamil Family Funeral Home at 6449 Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene. The funeral will be Wednesday, September 15, at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church at 2pm with Rev. Jack Ridlehoover, Rev. Stan Allcorn, and Dr. Jeff Reid officiating. Interment will follow in Elliott-Hamil Garden of Memories. Memorials may be made to the "food bank" at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, 701 S. Pioneer Drive, Abilene, 79605, or to the West Texas Rehabilitation Center, 4601 Hartford, Abilene, 79605.