Waldo Emerson "Whitey" Whitener

WALDO EMERSON "WHITEY" WHITENER Memorial services for Cortez resident Waldo Emerson "Whitey" Whitener will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, August 30 at Montezuma Valley Presbyterian Church. Pastors Steve and Kim Nofel will officiate. Whitey was born December 20, 1924 in Rush Springs, Okla. the son of George W. and Anne Belle (Posey) Whitener. He passed away at his Cortez home on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at the age of 83. On September 6, 1947 Whitey married Freida Anne Kuenzler in Aztec, N.M. To this union five children were born, Russell, Robert, Linda, Greg and Ronald. Whitey was employed by Shell Oil as a surveyor and also worked for the Bureau of Public Roads. After moving to Albuquerque, N.M., Whitey owned and operated a laundry and dry cleaning business for 15 years. An active man, Whitey loved to run and exercise, as well as square dance, garden and play Bridge and was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Whitey and Freida returned to the Cortez area 13 years ago. Surviving Whitey are his wife of 60 years, Freida Whitener of Cortez; his children, Russell K. Whitener of Albuquerque, N.M., Robert A. Whitener and companion, Miko Recanu of Marina, Calif., Linda Whitener Winn of Albuquerque, N.M., and Greg L. Whitener and wife, Julie of Albuquerque, N.M.; and by six grandchildren, Robert Slocum, Shane Whitener, Sabrina Winn, Dillon Whitener, Desirae Kitchen, and Taylor Whitener. Whitey was preceded in death by his parents; his son Ronald Lee Whitener in 1997; one brother, Anderson Whitener; and two sisters, Retta George and Ruth Mecham. Memorial contributions can be made in memory of Waldo Emerson "Whitey" Whitener to Hospice of Montezuma, PO Box 740, Cortez or with Montezuma Valley Presbyterian Church.