Thomas Whitten

After a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer, Thomas Allen Whitten Sr., peacefully took the hand of Jesus, and entered his eternal home Thursday, December 17, 2009. Tom was born on February 23, 1943 at Butler, Missouri the son of Thomas Lee and Dorothy Cleo Zwahlen Whitten. He graduated from Hume High School in 1961. He married Barbara Killion and to this union three children were born, Thomas Jr., Ronald and Tonya. He later married Rosemary Stewart Norbury on August 31, 1987. She preceded him in death on June 8, 2004. He then married Carolyn Shidler Rittinghouse on November 9, 2005. He was also preceded in death by his father, Thomas Lee and a grandson. Tom was involved with activities at the Hume School and served on the school board for eighteen years. He was also on the Walnut Township and Foster Housing Authority and was a member of the Foster Christian Church. He is survived by his wife Carolyn of the home, his mother Cleo Whitten of Nevada, Missouri, children, Thomas Whitten Jr. and Ellen, Ronald Whitten and Jodi, Tonya Gorda, all of Hume, Doug Norbury and Denise of Foster, Missouri, Deann Cobbs and Mike of Bush City, Kansas, Stephanie Gable and Frank of Houston, Texas, Jennifer Lowe and Darren of Pleasanton, Kansas, Patricia Graves of Excelsior Springs, Missouri, and Moriah Greer and Brandon of Edwardsville, Kansas, a sister Linda Wymore of Nevada, Missouri, a niece Tammy Hendren and Chris, twenty seven grandchildren, three great grandchildren and a great niece and nephew. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 PM Sunday December 20, 2009 at the Hume School. Cremation will follow the visitation. A memorial service will be held 4:30 PM Monday December 21, at the Hume School. The family suggests contributions to the Hume Community Center or Tom Whitten Memorial for Hume School. On line condolences for the family can be left at www.coffelschneider.com. Arrangements: Coffel-Schneider, Hume, Missouri.