Donald Frank “Don” Whitaker, Sr.

Mr. Donald Frank "Don" Whitaker, Sr., age 83, passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home on Lake Sinclair late on May 26, 2022, with family. Funeral services are planned for 11:00 AM on Wednesday, June 1, in the chapel of Hancock Funeral Home, 427 S. Lee St., with Rev. Keith Parks officiating. Mr. Whitaker will lie in state beginning at 10:00 AM on Wednesday. Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Born January 14, 1939 in Elberton, GA, he was a son of the late Joseph Tally Whitaker, Sr. and Burksie Ridgway Whitaker. The family moved to Sumter County when he was a young child. He graduated from Americus High School in 1957, where he played football, baseball, and was on the track team. Don married his high school sweetheart, the late Nancy Witt Whitaker, and had 3 children together: Donnie, Sherri and Kenny. After working about 8 years for the Seaboard Railroad, he attended and graduated with honors from Georgia Southwestern College with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. At Georgia Southwestern, while helping in raising 3 small kids, he was the manager of the college's bookstore and snackbar. Also, he was a founding member of the local fraternity, Sigma Delta Epsilon and eventually the Eta Theta chapter of the national fraternity of Sigma Chi, and a Blue Key member. Mr. Whitaker was a well-connected and well loved member of the Americus community. He was the longtime City Clerk and Treasurer where he formed many local government and resident relationships. As a member of First Baptist Church, he sang in the choir, was a Youth and Adult Ministry chaperone, church bus driver, class teacher, and a Deacon. He took much pride in helping create the Americus & Sumter County Training Center which provided education and training for mentally and physically challenged people of various ages. Also, he was an active member in several civic clubs including The Jaycees, Civitan, Kiwanis, and was President of the Panther Club. Don was a boy scout leader, enjoyed square dancing, and was a University of Georgia Bulldog Fan who bled red and black. His family and friends will remember him for his keen wit, a southern gentlemanly charm, as a renowned raconteur and storyteller whose recollections and anecdotes attracted and delighted his large nucleus of friends and family. He was a man of simplicity and discipline, yet enlightened, well-traveled and well-read...a man of discerning choices, values and of fairness. In the truest sense of the word, he evolved early as a true Southern Gentleman and never forgot his proud roots in Sumter County and Americus. By far, his love of family and friends was his most meaningful touchstone in his life. He left an immense mark here on earth and will be greatly missed. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Donald Frank "Donnie" Whitaker, Jr.; a daughter, Sherri Lynn Whitaker; and two brothers: Joseph Tally Whitaker, Jr. and Dan Whitaker. Survivors include his son, Kenneth Lloyd "Kenny" Whitaker (Julie Reynolds); two brothers: Robert Hodges Whitaker and George Douglas Whitaker (Sue); a sister, Elsie Vivian Schell; several nieces and nephews; and Kenny's close step-mother, Andrea Burge Price. For those wishing to do so, memorial contributions are suggested to the League of the Good Samaritan, c/o Magnolia Manor, 2001 S. Lee St., Americus, GA 31709. To sign our online guestbook and express your condolences to the family, please visit www.hancockfuneralhomeinc.com Hancock Funeral Home, 427 S. Lee St., is honored to be entrusted with these arrangements for Mr. Donald Frank "Don" Whitaker, Sr.