Robert L. Whitmer

 Robert Lee Whitmer, age 82, of Indiana, PA and formerly of Petersburg, WV died Thursday, January 10, 2019 at his residence.

 The son of the late Albert Brown Whitmer and Elsie Beatrice (Crites) Whitmer, he was born July 20, 1936 in Petersburg, WV.  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Margaret Ann Whitmer. 

 Robert was a graduate of Petersburg High School, Class of 1954.  He then attended the University of West Virginia graduating in 1958. He later obtained his Master of Arts from Ohio State University and followed by a Doctorate of Philosophy in the School of Education from Pittsburgh in 1975. 

After finishing college at the University of West Virginia he entered the Military having served in the Army.

Mr. Whitmer was a teacher at Petersburg High School for several years and later  had been employed as a Professor for Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the department of Foreign Languages.  Throughout his twenty-seven years, he primarily taught French. 

Mr. Whitmer was a member of the Trinity United Methodist Church for fifty years where he served on various boards, ushered and taught Sunday School. 

Mr. Whitmer was a member of the AARP where he held various offices and also the United Commercial Travelers, a fraternal insurance organization.  In his busy schedule he also found time to be an active member of the Kiwanis.

For enjoyment, Robert loved to travel both in the U.S. and Europe, attend musicals and the theater and play tennis and golf.  He also found pleasure in reading mysteries and working cross word puzzles.

Surviving is his wife, of 51 years, Helen Virginia (Fisher) Whitmer; a brother, Albert B. (Shirley) Whitmer, Jr. of Oakland, MD., brother-in-laws, Bud (Anna) Fisher of Petersburg, WV and Charles (Joanne) Fisher of Maysville, WV,  sister-in-law, Jane (Frank) Campbell of Petersburg, WV;  nephews, Michael Paul Whitmer and Christian Adam Fisher; a niece, Carla Jo Fisher (Clayton Hardy) and great niece, Makenna Elizabeth Hardy. 

Services will be held in Indiana, PA and additional visitation/funeral will be in Petersburg, WV on Wednesday, January 16, 2019 from 10:00 – 11:00 AM at Schaeffer Funeral Home.  Funeral service will begin at 11:00 AM with The Rev. Ann W. Harrison officiating.  Burial will be in the South Branch Valley Memorial Gardens, Petersburg, WV with Military Honors accorded  by the Potomac Highlands VFW Post 6454 and West Virginia Army Honor Guard.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Visiting Nurses Association, Medical Arts Building Suite 3000, 850 Hospital Road, Indiana, PA 15701 or Charity of the donor's choice.

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