Obituary of Byron Whittlesey

A memorial service will be held 11:00 am Friday, February 1, 2013 at United Methodist Church in Spirit Lake. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Emmetsburg, Iowa. Byron E. Whittlesey was born June 27, 1929 in Gilmore City, Iowa, the son of Charles and Inez (Carmer) Whittlesey. Byron was enlisted in the United States Navy in 1948 and was honorably discharged in 1952. While serving in the Navy, Byron worked as a photographer and earned several credentials while working for the Iowa State Corrections. On September 16, 1956, Byron was united in marriage to Marietta Cherry Hersom in Spencer, Iowa. The couple lived in Spencer Iowa where they owned a flower shop and then moved to Spirit Lake in 1969. Byron worked with the Lake Patrol, Highway Patrol and with Adult Corrections. He also worked at the Clay County Fair for several years. After retirement, he spent his winters in Arizona with his family. For over fifty years, Byron was a member of the Shriners and the Blue Lodge. He was also a member of the Eastern Star, American Legion and the United Methodist Church. Byron enjoyed photography, lighthouses, weather, news, working with flowers and spending time with family. Byron passed away January 10, 2013 in Mesa, Arizona at eighty-three years of age. Byron is survived by his children, Curtis and Kimberly Whittlesey, Keith and Melissa Whittlesey and James and Beth Hopper, all of Mesa, Arizona; grandchildren, James D. Hopper, Ryan Hopper, Nolan Whittlesey, Brock Whittlesey, Kayla Whittlesey and Heather Hopper; sisters, Evelyn Petersen of Humboldt, Iowa and Susan Taylor of Storm Lake, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his parents Charles and Inez, wife Marietta and grand-daughter Brynn Whittlesey.