Earl T. Whitman, Jr.
Earl T Whitman, Jr, a longtime resident of Mountain Home, Idaho passed away in Meridian, Idaho on October 7th at an assisted living facility.
Earl was born on June 26, 1928 in Kapuskasing Ontario Canada to Earl T Whitman and Catherine R (Murray) Whitman. Earl Jr, grew up in Canada playing hocky and tennis with his brother, Jim. Earl’s dad was employed by Kimberly Clark Corporation of Neenah, Wisconsin and was transferred from Neenah Wisconsin to Kapuskasing around 1921 working in the Spruce Falls paper mill. During World War II, the Canadian taxes were too much for him so he moved the family back to Appleton, Wisconsin in October 1942.
Earl Jr went to Wilson Junior High in Appleton before the family moved to New London Wisconsin in the summer of 1943. In New London, Earl Sr and his brother Rollie formed the Whitman Brothers Ice and Fuel. This is where Earl Jr started driving and delivering ice. When the war ended, people began buying refrigerators and demand for ice dropped to nil. Next the family went in to farming and it wasn’t long before Earl Jr found that cows needed milking twice a day, seven days a week, so then came the adventure of the US Air Force on December 30, 1947.
Earl Jr served until November 1, 1976 and achieved the rank of Chief Master sergeant. During his time in the Air Force, he grew up working on Republic Air traffic, the F-84B, F-84C, F-84D, F84-E, F-84G’s and then the latter, the swept wing F-84F. Transferring temporarily from Shaw AFB, South Carolina to England in June 1950 at the start of the Korean War, in a weeks’ time after arrival at R.A.F. Manston, they were at Neubiberg Air Base near Munich Germany for further training. In December 1950, most of the personnel had a cruise across the Atlantic on an MSTS Vessel that took 8 days to New York and then a train ride to Shaw AFB, South Carolina.
In November 1951, the unit moved to Langley AFB for new F-84G aircraft with nuclear capability and in May 1952 the unit transferred to RAF Wethersfield England. Earl Jr found the love of his life in London and he and Betty we married on October 22, 1955. The next transfers were to Billy Mitchel Field in Milwaukee Wisconsin, then eight months at Craig AFB in Selma Alabama and back to RAF Wethersfield for four more years. During this tour the unit would go to Greece, Morocco, Libya and Algiers. Earl would always refer to playing golf on Muammar Gaddafi’s golf course in Libya.
Next up was a three-year tour at Minot AFB North Dakota. After that tour, the next assignment was to Soesterberg Air Base in the Netherlands, a tour the family really enjoyed. Next assignment was to Mountain Home AFB, Idaho and after one year there, Earl felt he needed a SEA tour to make chief. He volunteered for Vietnam and was assigned to Phan Rang Air Base, about 150 miles north of Saigon. He was Line Chief in the F-100 squadron 352TFS. Back in Mountain Home AFB and after 2 years in Quality Control, he was sent back to the Field Training detachment. Within a year, he received a line number for Chief and a line number for Thailand. He went to Thailand in the 432TF Wing. One year later, he was back at Mountain Home AFB until his retirement on November 1, 1976.
Following retirement, Earl enrolled in Boise State University, then received a job with the Elmore County Commissioners. Working in County government was a career broadening experience and he often referred to his greatest accomplishment there by doing the EDA Grant in 1977 that was approved and allowed the County to receive $150,000 so the annex to the Elmore County courthouse could be built.
In April 1981, the Magistrate Judges position became vacant at the Elmore County Courthouse and the Commissioners encouraged Earl to apply. Out of 39 applicants, he got the job and was sworn in by Judge John Sellman on June 1, 1981. He retired from that job on March 1 1991. However, the Supreme Court kept him active until November 1998. While serving as a Magistrate Judge in Elmore County, every day in court there was always a bailiff to keep order and see that the defendants appeared when called. The passing of time saw the loss of five of his bailiffs: Miles Richy, Otto McCling, Bob Brewer, Bob Fincher and Earnest Hopfinger. In addition, he could seek guidance on certain cases from District Judge Robert Rowett and Magistrate Judge John Sellman.
Earl became a Shriner in 1977 and was very active in the El Korah Tin Lizzies. He and Betty attended many parades in the US and Canada with their many Shrine friends. He was in the Tin Lizzie’s for 21 years. He was also a member of the Mountain Home Elks Lodge.
After his retirement from the Courthouse, Earl resorted to golfing most every day and performing the occasional wedding ceremonies when other judges were not available. During his lifetime, Earl had seven holes in ones from his many years of golf. He was very proud to have taught his children and grandchildren how to golf.
Earl was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, his son, Gary, his parents, three sisters, Shirley Ladwig, Betty Shoenrock and Helen Larson and his brother, Jim Whitman.
Survivors include his daughter and son in law, Lisa and Russ Anderson, daughter in law, Sharon Whitman; grandchildren, Matt (Jenni) Anderson, Nick (Jiselle) Anderson, Russell Whitman, Chris Whitman; great-grandchildren; Brody Anderson, Mila Anderson, Cooper Anderson, Shepard Anderson; and his sister, Sandra (Jim) Medeiros; along with numerous nieces and nephews.
A special thanks to the staff at The Pointe at Meridian and Aspen Home Care and Hospice for their warmth and kindness while spending time and caring for dad.
A graveside service for Earl and Betty will be held at 1:00 pm, on Friday, November 8, 2024, at Mountain View Cemetery, 725 N. 18 th E. in Mountain Home, Idaho.
Arrangements are under the direction of Bowman Funeral Parlor of Garden City.