Home > Family History > Emmett Lane Whitaker

• Name: Emmett Lane Whitaker
• Born: September 5, 1905 Winters, Runnels County, Texas, United States
• Father: Daniel Edward Whitaker
• Mother: Lillie Mae Dodgen
• Married: October 2, 1926 Fisher County, Texas, United States
• Spouse: Della Lee Pitts
• Children:
• Darwin Whitaker
• M. David Whitaker
• Donella F. Whitaker
• Daniel Lee Whitaker, Sr.
• Dennis Ray Whitaker
• Donald Wayne Whitaker
• Spurgeon Ross Whitaker
• Died: January 6, 2006 Las Cruces, Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
• Buried: Mountain View Cemetery, Deming, Luna County, New Mexico, United States

At age 21 he was elected as a representative of District 119 to the Texas 40th Legislature.

He said in the election campiagn that he had been a preacher for 12 years and the newspaper ran a story that he was the youngest preacher ever in Texas at nine years old, which upset a lot of other people. He preached from the sidewlaks at nine. DLW Jr, July 17, 2021

[broke hip two belts] [didn't like having cats around because they were "livestock"] [the first time he saw an airplane was in 1916 in New Mexico. one flew over in Pershing's response to Pancho Villa's raid that resulted in the Battle of Columbus, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Columbus_(1916), named each of his children after ministers (Darwin, Spurgeon Ross), broke both hips so used two belts to help him walk around]. DLW Jr, July 17, 2021

I asked Vanessa if he remarried because of the obituary and she said no. He had a girlfriend that he called "his Friday girl" that he didn't marry. She had power of attorney. She later died of cancer.

Sources:

• 1930 US Federal Census, Texas, Taylor County, Abilene, Sheet 8A, Line 30, House No. 2304, Family No. 189, Simmons Avenue; Emmett L. Whitaker; Head; House, rented; Home value, 10; Lives on farm, no; male; white; Age, 23; Married; Age at first marriage, 21; Attends school, yes; Able to read and write, yes; Birthplace, Texas; Father's birthplace, Texas; Mother's birthplace, Texas; Able to speak English, yes; Occupation, printer; Industry, newspaper; wage worker; employed; Veteran, no.

• "Obituaries

  Emmett Whitaker

  Emmett Lane Whitaker, 100, resident of Deming, passed away Friday January 6, 2006 at the Casa del Sol Care Center in Las Cruces.

  Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Bethel Baptist Church where funeral services will begin at 2 p.m. with Reverend Steve Mosley officiating. Concluding services and interment will follow at Mountain View Cemetery.

  Emmett was born in Runnels County, Texas on September 4, 1905 to Daniel Edward and Lillie May (Dodgen) Whitaker, the oldest of six children. He lays claim to three careers. His second career began shortly after he turned 21, and married Della Lee Pitts, his wife of 69 years. He was elected Representative of District 119 to the Fortieth Texas State Legislature, serving a two-year term in 1927 and 1928. He did not seek reelection as his heart was set on the ministry, his first love and career.

  The ministry, and a third career in the newspaper field, ran simultaneously from 1921 for 53 years, with only two years of the political time in the Texas State Legislature. He did printing and newspaper work for a living, and preaching as a calling and desire. Both careers existed, side by side, until his retirement from the Houston Post in 1974, to devote full time to pastoral and associated activities in the Southern Baptist Convention.

  On March 3, 1926, while attending the Academy of Wayland Baptist College, he became an ordained minister, and accepted a position as Pastor in Dawson County, Texas. In Baptist denominational work, he served three and one half years as production manager of the Baptist New Mexican, and printer for the Convention of New Mexico. Later, he became manager of the printing department of the Baptist State Association of Missouri.

  Throughout this time, he was a popular "Sunday preacher" who continued to preach past his retirement age.

  From the beginning, Emmitt was not only a printer and author, but he served in the composing rooms also for the Roscoe Times, Wichita Daily Eagle, Kansas City Star, Dallas Morning News, and Houston Post. He returned to Deming in 1997.

  He is survived by his daughter, Dr. Danella W. Lowery and her husband James of Tunnel Hill, GA; three sons, Daniel Lee Whitaker and his wife Diane of Sequim, WA, Dennis Ray Whitaker and his wife Sandra of Auburn, AL, Donald Wayne Whitaker of Little Rock, AR; a brother Daniel Moody Whitaker and his wife Lois of Creburnes, TX; a sister Ola Mae Whitaker Hawkins of Bossier City, LA; several grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends and associates.

  Emmett was preceded in death by his wife Lois [this appears to be a mistake by the newspaper, his wife was Della Lee Pitts] and by three sons, Marion David, Darwin, and Spurgeon Ross Whitaker.

  Pallbearers will be Bob Canon, Church Griffith, Leroy Lacy, Lee Bouton, Calvin Broom, and Phil Hibner.

  Entrusted to the care of Baca's Funeral Chapels of Deming."

  The Deming Headlight (Deming, New Mexico), Tuesday, January 10, 2006, p. 3

• Name: Emmitt L Whitaker Gender: Female Marriage Date: 2 Oct 1926 Marriage Place: Fisher, Texas, USA Spouse: Della Lee Pitts Film Number: 001409300 Marriage Records. Texas Marriages. Texas State Library and Archives Commission and various county clerk offices, Texas.
• Name: Emmitt L Whitaker Gender: Female Marriage Date: 2 Oct 1926 Marriage Place: Fisher, Texas, United States Spouse: Della Lee Pitts FHL Film Number: 1014966 Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.
• p. 1177, 1968 City Directory, Fort Worth, Texas. "Whitaker [...] E L (Della) EMP Houston Press H509 W Broadus St"
• 1940 US Federal Census, Texas, Taylor County, Abilene, Sheet 63A, Line 22, House No. 2702, S. 3rd Street; Emmett L. Whittaker; head; male; white; age 35; married; not attended school; highest grade completed, college 1st year; birthplace, Texas; residence in 1935, same place; employed for pay, yes; public emergency work, no, seeking work, no; employment history, no; hours worked week prior to census, 48; occupation, editor; industry, news paper; class of worker, private work; weeks worked in 1939, 52; income $2080; income other sources, no.
• https://www.amazon.com/Wake-Up-Live-Emmett-Whitaker/dp/0595259189
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/130483420
• Name: Emmett Lane Whitaker Gender: Male Race: White Age: 35 Relationship to Draftee: Self (Head) Birth Date: 4 Sep 1905 Birth Place: Winters, Texas, USA Residence Place: Abilene, Taylor, Texas, USA Registration Date: 16 Oct 1940 Registration Place: Abilene, Taylor, Texas, USA Employer: Frank Harrinson Weight: 135 Complexion: Ruddy Eye Color: Black Hair Color: Black Height: 5 8 Next of Kin: Della Lee Whitaker --- The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Texas, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 1607
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Whitaker-1341