Obituary of Harold Glenn Whittle

Glenn Whittle died peacefully at home in Chantilly, Virginia on New Year's Day. He and Nancy celebrated their 75th anniversary last October 16 with many friends and family members. He is survived by his wife Nancy, one sister, two sons, six grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. He was born November 16, 1913 on a homestead in New Mexico. He started school in Tucumcari, and then moved to Ajo and Flagstaff, Arizona before graduating from Poly High School in Long Beach, California. After two years of college, he worked in the oil fields of CA, in the defense industry at Ford's Lincoln-Mercury division during WW II, then for Shell Chemical in Torrance, CA while living in Compton. After seven years at Shell's Deer Park Texas refinery, he retired from Shell management in 1978 with two patents and many awards. Following 26 years in Escondido, California, Glenn and Nancy moved to Chantilly, in 2004 to live with his son and daughter-in-law, Lew & Dianne. Glenn was a life-long learner with a passion for life. He and Nancy travelled to nearly all of the contiguous states, Hawaii, Alaska and Canada. At age 12 he began driving a Model T Ford and had 86 years of accident- and ticket-free driving. They repeatedly visited grandchildren in Central America and Spain, and toured Israel and Western Europe with their church. Family, neighbors, and coworkers valued his can-do approach. He devoured Popular Mechanics and always wanted tools for Christmas. It seemed he could fix or improve anything. In remodeling and expanding the house he became a skilled craftsman. The garage became his shop. While listening to country western music, his repair and maintenance evolved into works of art that Nancy decorated. He loved the outdoors, hiking the highest areas of the Sierra Nevada range and camping in the California mountains and beaches. He didn't just fish; he learned fly fishing using his own hand tied flies. He didn't just water ski but slalomed on sleek laminated skis from his shop. He loved photography and built a dark room to make his own prints. In the days preceding cancer surgery in 2004, he confirmed that he had placed his trust in Christ as his personal Savior under the pulpit ministry of Pastor Richard Strauss. Glenn and Nancy regularly attended Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido where they enjoyed the fellowship and Bible centered messages. After moving to Virginia, they quickly identified with Chantilly Bible Church. Glenn knew he would pass from this world into Christ's presence.