Freestone County, Texas
Obituaries




The Fairfield Recorder
September 08, 2007

Fr. Peter Whitney

Funeral services are set Thursday in LaMarque for former Fairfield resident 
Father Peter Whitney, 86, a retired priest of the Diocese of Tyler living at
Queen of Peace Church in LaMarque.

Fr. Whitney died Saturday.

He studied at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis., and was 
ordained in 1983. He served as parochial vicar at St. John Neumann and St. 
Benedict in Houston and as pastor of St. Bernard in Fairfield with the mission
at Teague before retiring in 1996.

During his time in Fairfield, a new church was built.

After retirement, he lived in residence and helped out with services at Queen of
Peace until his death.

Fr. Whitney was born in England on June 21, 1921 and moved to the United States
in 1939. During World War II he was stationed in the China/Burma/India Theater
with the U.S. Army Air Corps. After the war, as a master sergeant, he remained 
in the army reserves and was called up during the Korean War.

Following military service, he married and raised a family, living in Bellaire.
He worked as a professional freelance photographer in and around Houston and 
Bellaire, and also served as photographer for St. Vincent de Paul Church and 
School, where he was a parishioner for many years. He was an active member of 
Bellaire chamber of commerce.

In the 1960s, Fr. Whitney helped establish the Bayou City Squadron of Civil Air 
Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, and served as its commander for more than a 
decade. He went on to serve at various levels of the group and wing and reached
the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Fr. Whitney was an avid traveler, visiting with family in Chicago, Ill., and
England, an aviator and was fascinated with model trains through membership in
Galveston County Model Railroad Club in Texas City.

Mass of Christian Burial is set for 10 a.m. Thursday at Queen of Peach Church 
with Bishop Carroda of Tyler officiating.

Burial will be at Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Houston.

Pallbearers are Adolph Kivch, Bo Hunter, Les Wronski, Joe Johnson, David Fronick
and Joe D. Cucco.

Fr. Whitney is survived by three daughters, Devorah Hayman and husband Bob, 
Hanna Stein Whitney and Zehavah Whitney Oates and husband Bruce; a son, David 
Whitney; and grandchildren Jonathan and Joshua Lowe, Avital and Mitchell Stein,
and Michelle and Justin Whitney.

Memorials may be made in memory of Fr. Whitney to Galveston County Model Train 
Club or Queen of Peace Church.

Arrangements were made by James Crowder Funeral Home.