Wilburn William Whittington

Wilburn “Whit” William Whittington, 97, of College Station, Texas formerly of Groves, Texas passed away Saturday, April 22, 2023. Whit was born on November 22, 1925 at Switzer Farm in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana to Elisha and Louisa Whittington.
Whit was the tenth child of eleven children. He graduated from Ragley Louisiana High School in 1943. Whit was inducted into the United States Army at the young age of 18, at Barksdale Airforce Base. He was to report to Beauregard Airforce Base, then to Camp Blanding, Florida. In 1944, he was sent to parachute school at Fort Benning, Georgia. Whit traveled to England, France, then to Belgium for his country. He fought in Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne. From Austria Whit returned home to the United States. He then married Nellie Pearl Spike on January 7, 1946.
Whit’s favorite place was Sand Dust Place, Florida. It was one of the most beautiful places he’d “ever” been. The sand was SO white. Whit built three houses by himself! The first house was in Longville, Louisiana and the second was in Bridge City, Texas. Whit worked at FINA Refinery, which is now TOTAL and retired in 1984 when he built his third house at Toledo Bend. This was the toughest house he had ever built. Whit and Nellie lived there until she passed away in 2007.
Whit met Louis Eaves while living at Toledo Bend and became best friends. Whit says that between him and Louis, “One would be the horse that pulled the plow and the other would push the old-style plows for planting a garden, but for only a few rows! Great Times!”
Whit moved from Toledo Bend to Groves, Texas and lived there until moving to College Station. Whit married his second wife, Nellie Cleopatra “Patsy” LaGrone, whom he worked with at, FINA. Patsy was his longtime friend and wife until she passed away on July 8, 2018.
Whit was preceded in death by his parents, Elisha Welcome Whittington and Louisa (Welch) Whittington; first wife, Nellie Pearl (Spike) Whittington; son, Michael Whittington; daughter, Bonnie Whittington; second wife, N.C. “Patsy” Whittington; seven brothers and three sisters.
Those left to cherish Whit’s memory include his stepdaughter, Kimberly Brown of College Station, Texas; stepson, Kerry LaGrone and his wife, Janice of Tomball, Texas; daughter-in-law, Fabiola Whittington of Austin, Texas; six grandchildren; and ten great grandchildren.
Whit wanted to thank Kim Brown, Shea, Easton, Cannon Ehlert, Fabiola Whittington and Beth Roach for all of their help, love and support during the last years of his life.
A gathering of family and friends will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., with a Celebration of Wilburn’s Life to begin at 11:00 a.m., at Melancon’s Funeral Home in Nederland, Texas. Interment will follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park in Port Neches, with Military Honors provided by the Southeast Texas Veterans Service Group.