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Robert Whitney

April 4, 1928 - September 11, 2019
Comstock, MI

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Whitney, Robert A (Bob), 91, passed away peacefully at home last year on Sept. 11, 2019. Born April 4th, 1928 in Lakeview, MI, Bob moved with his family as a young boy to Comstock, MI, where he attended Comstock Schools, graduating from Comstock High School in 1946. Bob played football, basketball, baseball, and ran track for the Colts, and was a cast member in many school plays. After graduation, Bob attended Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI, for two years and then enlisted in the U.S. Air Force the following year. After four years of service, Bob was a Staff Sargent with the military police when he was honorably discharged. His favorite station was Stead Air Force Base in Reno, NV., where he served as a provost marshall. He often told stories of his great luck fly fishing on the Truckee River and how he would hold big fish fries on the base. After the service, Bob went back to school to become a barber. On Sept. 6th, 1954, Bob married the love of his life, Nancy Lou Parkhurst of Comstock, MI, who preceded him in death in 2001. After his marriage, Bob remained active in the Comstock Community for many years, serving on a few of the township boards and committees, and as an owner/operator of two local businesses. Whitney's Barbershop in downtown Comstock, opened by his father, Bob Sr., was run by both father and son for many years. In the 70's when men began to grow their hair longer, Bob continued to barber a few days a week, but turned to manufacturing at Buck Tool, eventually serving as a union steward there. Even after the barber shop closed fileting Bob Sr.'s death, Bob continued to cut hair for friends and for those who were ill or hospitalized. At his home of 44 years, Bob owned and operated Whitney's Resort, a boat rental on Campbell Lake. Bob was an avid outdoorsman and fisherman and was well known and highly respected for his ability to know when, where, and how the fish would bite and was often called "Bluegill Bob". A "fish whisperer", Bob could bring in his limit on a day when no one else would even get one single bite. In those days it was common for the phone to "ring off the hook" in the mornings with friends and fellow anglers wanting to know all the days fishing details. He taught himself to tie flies and sold his famous black gnats to friends and local bait stores, and for 44 years Bob kept meticulous records, including weather and water temperature, detailing his catching hundreds of thousands of fish on Campbell Lake, all over the state of Michigan, and on countless lakes and rivers across the U.S. At home, the lake was a great place to raise a family and Bob taught his girls how to fish and how to maintain the boats. He also passed on a love and respect for nature and everything outdoors. After Nancy's passing, Bob sold the boat rental. Being on that lake was Bob's whole way of life, and sensing this, the new owners had him keep his boat on a dock at the lake, allowing their new "Uncle Bob" to fish the remaining 18 years of his life. In addition to his wife, Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Robert E. Whitney and Olive (Johnson) Whitney, two brothers, Jack and Jim, and a very special friend, Lilian Stuut. Surviving are two daughters, Kelly Gibson of Kalamazoo and Sherry (Oakley) Whitney-Baker of Charlotte, N.C.; four grandchildren, Katie, Stacey, and Chris, all of Kalamazoo, and Tyler, of N.C.; nine great-grands, Daniel, Izzy, J.J., Makayla, Rylee, Dom, Chris Jr, and Gabby, all of Kalamazoo; a sister, Marcalyn Hendron, of Roanoke, VA, several nieces and nephews, and his very dear friends, Dan and Debbie Short. Due to the corona virus, a spring memorial was never realized. In a private ceremony, Bob's cremains were placed with military honors next to his wife Nancy at Fort Custer National Cemetary. Contributions on Bob's behalf can be made to The Nature Conservancy or to the National Kidney Foundation.