David Whited

Outgoing, genuine, and fun-loving, David Whited was the sort of man everyone knew. He was never one to worry about the things he couldn’t control, and he believed in being a man of his word. Dave was blessed to share most of his life with his true love, and together they witnessed so many of the best things life has to offer. A savvy businessman, his success was due largely to his kindhearted and sincere personality. Life will never be the same without Dave here, but he leaves behind a timeless legacy that his loved ones will proudly carry on in his footsteps.

Life during the 1930s was anything but easy for Dave’s parents as the decade was overshadowed by the hardships of the Great Depression. Jobs were scarce, the unemployment rate soared, and there were few Americans who didn’t feel the stress and strain of the time. Thankfully, things were looking a bit better as the decade was drawing to a close, but it wasn’t until our attention was focused on supporting the efforts of WWII that things truly began improving. Amidst this eventful time was a time of great celebration in the lives of Verble and Vivian (Kelly) Whited as they announced the birth of the baby boy they named David George in Detroit, Michigan, on November 21, 1938. He was the youngest son, just two years younger than his brother, Terry. Dave’s father worked for Cutler Oil Company while his mother worked at Knapps Department Store.

In many ways Dave was a boy of his generation. He had a tough-minded family and his father was very strict. Although he was born in Detroit, Dave’s family moved to Lansing before he started school. He always joked that he went to third grade two times because the family moved so often! When he was five years old, Dave’s aunt and uncle gave him a book about a boy named David, who was given a silver dollar. This book inspired his lifelong love for collecting coins. He attended local schools including Lansing Sexton High School where he played football and baseball. Dave’s family was athletic and competitive so sports were pretty much a way of life in the Whited household. After graduating from high school he earned his teaching degree from Western Michigan University and became a proud, lifelong Bronco. Up until the last few years of his life, Dave hardly missed a single Bronco basketball game, attending most often with his brother-in-law, Billy. While in college he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and worked full-time to pay for school in addition to holding down his studies.

Throughout his life Dave was known for his strong work ethic. Dave continued his career at Sears beginning in his college days. He was promoted several times and eventually transferred to the main headquarters in Chicago. It was something to see when Dave came home and had the blueprints for the Sears Tower laying out in the house while it was in the process of being built. Dave developed Ted William’s line of products, and he even traveled with him for promotions. In time he became a regional manager, and when Sears built a new sporting goods section, Dave was the one who traveled and got it started. Over the years he also got to try out many of the products that Sears was considering selling, and he was always very proud of what he did.

While working at Sears during his college days, Dave met the young woman of his dreams. Her name was Sharon, and she also worked there. She was struck by how nice he was, and as the story goes, it was she who asked him out for coffee. The rest became history as they went on to get married in 1962. Together they welcomed two children, Terra and Kelly, into their hearts and home. Dave loved spending time with his family. He and Terra often worked in the yard together, and he also took her to the sod farms. Friday nights were commonly spent swimming at the local pool with the kids, followed by a trip to Baskin Robbins for ice cream. They took many ski trips to Northern Michigan as a family in the winters, and grandma’s cottage in Tawas was a favorite destination in the summers. Later in life, his grandkids would come visit for a week or two at a time, which was something both Dave and Sharon loved.

As his family and friends can attest, Dave was a man of many interests. His passion was golfing, and he and his family even lived on a golf course for a while. It wasn’t uncommon for Dave to arrive home after dark, and when asked, he’d joke there were lights on the golf course. Along with the WMU Broncos, Dave loved the Detroit Tigers and he made many memories taking his daughter, Kelly, to Tiger Stadium and later to Comerica Park, where he would buy the tall drinks for his son-in-law, Geoff.

All who knew Dave would agree that there was no one quite like him. His generosity was unmatched. At one point he and Sharon even brought two Chevy Malibu’s home, one for each of their daughters. Through all of his achievements and success, Dave remained humble, teaching others to be conservative and not to waste money.

With unending love for his family, David Whited was an amazing example of what it means to be selfless. He was a sharp businessman, but his wife was quick to say that he was more so just a genuinely nice man. He had a dry yet witty sense of humor that drew others near with ease. Deeply loved, Dave will be forever missed.

David G. Whited, Age 81, died on February 24, 2020. David was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Verble Jr. and Terry. Surviving are his wife of nearly 58 years, Sharon; children: Terra (Scott) Morgan and Kelly (Geoff) Isenhath; 6 grandchildren: Matthew Wiltshire, Michael (Allison) Wiltshire, Kayla (Caleb) Brown, Irene Morgan, Danika Isenhath, and Jaida Isenhath; 4 great-grandchildren: Olivija, Iziayah, Roanin, and Emberlee; and many nieces, nephews, and in-laws whom he was very close with. Services will be held on Saturday (FEB 29) at 11 AM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Home, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo 269-375-2900. A reception with food and refreshments will follow in the Life Story Center with burial at Mt. Ever Rest Memorial Park. Visit David’s personal webpage at www.BetzlerLifeStory.com where you may read his Life Story, archive a favorite memory or photo, and sign his online guest book. Memorial contributions may be made to Parkinson’s Foundation.