Family:Whitney, Robert Lester (1919-1996)

Robert Lester¹¹ Whitney (Oakley¹⁰, Lilla E.⁹, Artemas Henry⁸, George Washington⁷, John Smith⁶, Thomas⁵, Thomas⁴, Eleazer³, Thomas², John¹), son of Oakley¹⁰ and Vera Mildred (Hilton) Whitney, was born 11 Feb 1919, Athol MA, and died 25 Sep 1996, Costa Mesa, CA.

He married, 12 Feb 1944, San Diego CA, Erma Lorraine Chittick, daughter of Thomas Henry and Blanche Marilla (Russell) Chittick. She was born 4 Apr 1920, Thief River Falls, MN, and died 11 Dec 1999, Chico, CA.

Robert Whitney was a United States Marine for thirty years, beginning on 29 Oct 1940 and retiring in 1969 as a Lt. Col. in the 3rd Marine Air Wing. He received two Bronze Stars with Combat V, one for Korea and the second for Viet Nam. His death was due to complications of diabetes.

Lorraine Chittick, as she was called, became the first woman in the accounting department at Wells Fargo in 1943. Later that year she enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Womens' Reserve. She was in the first group through both Basic Training and 1st Sergeants' School. She was discharged for the convenience of government when it was discovered that she was pregnant.

Robert and Lorraine Whitney were divorced on 27 Apr 1948, Oakland CA. She later married Arthur Arlis Watts and they had one child. She died following a stroke.

Robert married a second time and they had four children.

Children of Robert Lester¹¹ Whitney are all living.

References

• Athol Vital Records.

• 1930 Census.

• US Marine Corps records.

• California Death Index.

• California Birth Index.

• Divorce papers from Alameda Co., California.

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Copyright © 2010, Marilla J. Whitney and the Whitney Research Group.