Thomas W. Whitley | Eastern NC Now

    Mr. Thomas Wells Whitley, age 79, a resident of 283 Swan Point Drive, Washington, NC, died Saturday, February 16, 2013, at Vidant Beaufort Hospital of Washington, NC.

    A graveside funeral service with military honors will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 19, 2013, at Oakdale Cemetery of Washington and will be conducted by Guy B. Whitley. Mr. Whitley’s grandson, Thomas Wells Whitley, III and his nephews, Douglas Sullivan, Robert W. Whitley, III and Jackson Tennis will serve as honorary pallbearers.

    Mr. Whitley was born in Beaufort County on September 4, 1933, to the late Robert Wilbur Whitley and Jesse Beatrice Burbage Whitley. He was a 1951 graduate of Bath High School. Mr. Whitley was drafted into the United States Army, where he served for over twenty years, having served in Vietnam, Germany and Korea among other places. In October 1982, he married Audrey Teresa Ang Whitley, who survives.

    In addition to his wife Audrey, of the home, Mr. Whitley is survived by his children, Karen Pope and her husband George of Seaboard, NC, Thomas Wells Whitley, Jr. and his wife LaShanna of Greenville, NC and David Leslie Whitley of Washington, NC; two brothers, Robert Wilbur Whitley, Jr. and his wife Reba of Washington, NC and Guy Burbage Whitley and his wife Grace Ann of Bath, NC; a sister, Dona W. Apple of Washington, NC; seven grandchildren, Courtney Pope of Roanoke Rapids, Nikole Wilson, Thomas Whitley III and Jessica Whitley, all of Washington, and Tianna Boyd, Zauvy Whitley and Little “T” Whitley, all of Greenville; three great-grandchildren, Kayla, Katie and Tripp Wilson, all of Washington. In addition to his parents, Mr. Whitley was preceded in death by his first wife, Gloria Rowe Whitley and a sister, Myra Joyce Whitley.

    The family will receive friends following the service at the cemetery, and other times at the home of his sister, Dona W. Apple, 271 Swan Point Drive, Washington, NC 27889.

    In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Beaufort County Humane Society, Post Office Box 8, Washington, NC 27889.

    Online condolences may be offered to the family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com.

    Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington is honored to serve the Whitley family.