Lyle Whitaker

Lyle Thomas Whitaker, 64, passed away Monday, July 8, 2024.

Born June 13, 1960 to Raymond and Monica (Murphy) Whitaker in St. Joseph, Missouri, Lyle grew up on his family’s farm outside Cameron, Missouri. A fervent farmboy throughout his life, no job made him happier than the simple chores from his childhood. Feeding livestock, bucking bales, driving tractors, dashing off the bus so he wouldn’t miss the latest episode of Adam West’s Batman... his earliest responsibilities were always his favorites.

He graduated from Cameron High School in 1978, where he played baseball, football, and basketball. A lifelong sports fan and fierce competitor, Lyle passionately cheered on the Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Missouri Tigers, and Boston Celtics. His earliest dream was playing shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals.

On his eighteenth birthday Lyle began working for GTE telecommunications in Cameron. For thirty-seven years, he grew from lineman to operations manager in Cameron, Macon MO and Iowa. Lyle worked for the company through numerous mergers, leaving him with totes filled with obsolete GTE, Spectra, Verizon, CenturyTel, and CenturyLink merchandise. Following retirement, Lyle moved near Wichita, KS and worked for Haviland Broadband in Conway Springs. He was thrilled to return to his roots working outside for a close knit, family oriented company.

For Lyle, family always came first. He came from a big, loud, loving family. And although he was often lower key than many of his stock, he started his own big, loud, loving family. On August 9, 1986, he married Anna Kelly Callahan; remaining happily married for nearly four decades, raising five children. Lyle never missed his kids’ games, recitals, performances, proms, graduations, or venting sessions. A committed, dutiful family man, Lyle was known for his reliability, consistency, gentle wisdom, and subtle-but-immense empathy. Quietly fierce in his devotion to his loved ones, he eschewed theatrics in lieu of silent acts of service. He was reliably among the last to leave all family reunions and church functions, ensuring every chair and table and elderly person was safely stored in their respective receptacles. Lyle was able to enjoy his greatest thrill of all: being a grandfather. He adored every moment he shared with his grandchildren. They brought immense joy to the final years of his life.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Monica Whitaker, siblings Joe and Mary Ellen Whitaker, and brother-in-law Monty Biggerstaff.

Lyle is survived by his wife of 38 years, Kelly Whitaker; children Ashley and Max, Amber and Bryan, Quinn and Jess, Jesse and Megan, and Sarah; grandchildren Piper, KJ, Kylah, and Lyla-Grey; siblings Joyce (Joe), Martha and Jerry, Julie (Monty), and John and Cindee, and literally dozens of beloved nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

Funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, July 17th, 2024 at 10:00 am at St. Munchin’s Church in Cameron, Missouri. Interment to follow at St. Munchin Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Relief Services in lieu of flowers. Lyle’s loved ones would like everyone to please remember to use broad spectrum sunscreen.