Arthur Milton (Mickey) Whiting |
| Posted 2016-06-16 by Sharla |
| The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ 06/10/2016 Arthur Milton “Mickey” Whiting, 87, died June 2, 2016, at his home in Phoenix. He was born July 3, 1928, in St. Johns to Arthur Clemon and Armina (Gibbons) Whiting. Mickey had five siblings, three of which have preceded him in death: Irene, David and Gary. After the death of his mother, Armina, his father, Arthur, remarried his stepmother, Betty Lepper. In 1947, Mickey married his high school sweetheart, Lorana Randall, and they were blessed with four children. He is survived by his sweet eternal companion; sister Annette Farr; brother Norman C. Whiting and his five children. He is also survived by four children, Gordon K. (Nannette) Whiting, Janis Whiting (Gordon) Hall, M. Barry (Robyn) Whiting; and foster sons Henry Redhouse (Lisa) and R. Bruce Whiting (Gail). He loved growing up in northern Arizona, first in St. Johns, and then later in Holbrook, graduating from Holbrook High School, where he was a star athlete in football and basketball, along with finishing in the top of his class scholastically. He attended BYU briefly, before transferring to Arizona State Uiversity. Truly he and Lorana have been lifelong Sun Devils, through and through, with football and basketball season tickets for many, many years, along with even providing a scholarship program to ASU in these later years. In 1952, Mickey was there at the very beginning, when the Whiting Brothers (his dad and three brothers) formed Kaibab Lumber Company in Fredonia. He and his cousin and business partner, E. Jay Whiting, also joined in with the Whiting Brothers and the extended Whiting family, as they built Whiting Bros. Service Stations along Route 66 and throughout Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, California, Utah and Nevada. Kaibab Lumber Company diversified and evolved into Kaibab Industries Inc., and under his leadership, the company grew to be one of the top 10 privately held companies in Arizona, with 1,200 employees, and operations in eight western states, as well as Mexico. Fortunately, he learned to fly airplanes early on in his life and spent many hours flying throughout the United States and Mexico. Whether he was the pilot, or someone else, he loved being in an airplane. During his life, he served in many leadership positions and on the boards of directors of many companies and industry organizations. Particularly he was honored to have served as president of both Western Wood Products Association and National Forest Products Association. Mickey’s greatest achievement and happiness was found with his best friend and dear wife, Lorana, and their five children, 20 grandchildren and 46 great-grandchildren. He loved and knew each one of them well. Mickey was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) and served throughout his life in numerous church callings. A viewing will be held from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 8, at the LDS Church, Arcadia Ward Building, 4225 N. 56 St., Phoenix. Funeral services were held Thursday, June 9, preceded by a visitation also at the LDS Church, Arcadia Ward Building. Messinger Funeral Home handled arrangements, 7601 E. Indian School Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251. |
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