Rufus Melvin Whitmire, Jr.
November 30, 1921 ~ November 16, 2011
Resided in:
Flat Rock, NC
Rufus Melvin "Whit" Whitmire, Jr., 89, died Wednesday, November 16, 2011, at Four Seasons Hospice in Flat Rock, North Carolina.
Born November 30, 1921 in Washington, GA, Mr. Whitmire was a resident of the Asheville area since 1954 and founder of Whitmire Monument Company. Upon his retirement in 1988, he continued to work in real estate investments while pursuing his hobby of furniture making.
Whit, a Veteran of World War II, served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Knudson in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and was a member of the VFW. He was an avid golfer and a member of the Geritol Duffers Club of Black Mountain. Mr. Whitmire was a member of Biltmore Masonic Lodge 0446, a Shriner in the Oasis Temple, and a member of Abernethy United Methodist Church.
Son of the late Rufus M. Whitmire, Sr., and Bertha Garland Whitmire, he was also preceded in death by his beloved wife, Agnes Wolfe Whitmire. He is survived by daughter Linda Whitmire of Greenville, SC, son Rufus M. Whitmire, III and his wife Maggie of Mills River, NC, son Roy Garland Whitmire of Asheville, NC; nine grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Whit was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and countryman.
Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, November 19 in the Patton Ave. chapel of Groce Funeral Home, with the Rev. D. Wesley Austin officiating. The family will receive friends one hour before the service. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Four Seasons Hospice, Elizabeth House, 581 South Allen Rd., Flat Rock, NC 28731.
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I did not know Mr. Whitmire, but he must have been a very nice person and a gentleman to have reared Mr. Whitmire III, who was so helpful and kind while working with me recently to find the exact headstone for my husband.
I knew Mr Whitmire for only the last 10 or 12 years of his life but it was pleasure. Our lives a blessed by having him a part of it.
Sincere sympathy to the Whitmire Families. During visits with him over the years Melvin and I concluded that we must be related! I am saddned to hear of his death and, again, send my heartfelt sympathy.
Linda, Rufus and Roy,
I was saddened by the news of Whit’s death. He was such a fine man, always a gentleman and a true friend. I WILL REMEMBER WHIT!
He will be truly missed by all who knew him,especially us members of the Geritol Duffers Club.
I will always cherish the memories our golf outings, our numerous visits after he became ill, and our almost daily phone conversations when he felt like talking. I will raise my glass to the life Whit lived for as long as I am able.
Now he is with his belover Agnes.
Linda, Rufus and Roy,
I was saddened by the news of Whit’s death. He was such a fine man, always a gentleman and a true friend. I WILL REMEMBER WHIT!
He will be truly missed by all who knew him,especially us members of the Geritol Duffers Club.
I will always cherish the memories our golf outings, our numerous visits after he became ill, and our almost daily phone conversations when he felt like talking. I will raise my glass to the life Whit lived for as long as I am able.
Now he is with his belover Agnes.
OUR SINCERE SYMTATHY TO THE FAMILY. WE ALWAYS ENJOYED SEEING UNCLE WHIT AT FAMILY REUNIONS.
To the Family our Bother Rufus Melvin Whitmire Jr.
Our thought and prayer go out for at you at this time, if there is anything at we can do to help please let us know.
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Your dad was a special person and I have such fond memories. I know the angels sang when he entered the gates of heaven. You will all be in my thoughts and prayers during the difficult days ahead.
Love, Judi
Rufus and Maggie : We are sad to hear of Mr Whitmire’s passing. Heaven is a better place now with him. Prayers and sympathies to your whole family. John and Kathleen and John Peter
Rufus and Maggie, God surely blessed Whit who passed on those blessing to so may people. I am blessed to be just one. My prayers go out to to all of your family. Love you, Vic
TO THE WHIMIRE FAMILY,
DOUG AND I EXTEND OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO ALL OF YOU. WHIT WAS A FINE MAN AND A GENTLEMAN. HE ALWAYS MADE US FEEL SPECIAL. WE LOVED HAVING A DRINK WITH HIM AND LISTENING TO HIS INTERESTING LIFE EXPERIENCES AND THE LAUGHTER WE SHARED WITH HIM ARE SUCH WONDERFUL MEMORIES THAT WE CHERISH.
OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS WILL BE WITH ALL OF YOU TOMORROW.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
LOVE, MOM,ANITA,DOUG
GRANDMA AND GRANDPA
TO THE WHIMIRE FAMILY,
DOUG AND I EXTEND OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO ALL OF YOU. WHIT WAS A FINE MAN AND A GENTLEMAN. HE ALWAYS MADE US FEEL SPECIAL. WE LOVED HAVING A DRINK WITH HIM AND LISTENING TO HIS INTERESTING LIFE EXPERIENCES AND THE LAUGHTER WE SHARED WITH HIM ARE SUCH WONDERFUL MEMORIES THAT WE CHERISH.
OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS WILL BE WITH ALL OF YOU TOMORROW.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
LOVE, MOM,ANITA,DOUG
GRANDMA AND GRANDPA
Good-bye old friend. They have great golf courses where you are now long drives and low scores but there is no gambling and no scotch in the 19th hole, sorry. Rest well my friend.
We are sorry for your loss, Whit was a very good man, I enjoyed our chats together. You are in our thoughts.
Gary & Annette Erwin
To Rufus & Family;
I am so grateful to you and your family work
ethic for assisting George and I in our
monument. Those Navy guys from WWII were
something special. I could always tell what a
devoted son you were. I will pay my respects at The magnificent Riverside Monument. After
visiting your mother’s monument, I knew your
father was very special and we wanted you to
create our stone. I remember the red roses he
left. Mainly, I remember devotion to Faith.
What an enduring legacy the Whitmires have created.
My sympathy and gratitude.
God Bless you and yours; Dina Vance Nelson with George at Lewis.
We will never forget how wonderful Whit and Mimi were to us when we came to visit them. They showed us around the town like we were VIP’s. Never a more gracious couple we’ ve ever known, now that they are back together only makes us smile.
To Rufus and family,
In the short time I have known your dad, I will always remember him as a real gentleman. I enjoyed our visits with him and I feel fortunate to have played golf with him. A great golfer, a wonderful man.
My thoughts and prayers go out to you and family.
Bob Koenigsknecht
Rufus and Family,
My condolences go out to you and your family in Whit’s passing. Having known Whit for a number of years, I always enjoyed talking with him about his golfing, trips out west, his family and business matters. He was an astute business man and stayed sharp in his last years. Sorry I was not able to attend the funeral service since I was attending my aunt’s funeral out of town. God bless you and your family!