CLEARFIELD PROGRESS MAR 6, 2004Ruth M. Whitaker CURWENSVILLE - Mass of Christian Burial will be said at St. Timothy's Roman Catholic Church in Curwensville on Monday at 10 a.m. for Ruth Marie Whitaker, 78, a resident of Christ the King Manor in DuBois and formerly of Curwensville RD, who died Thursday, March 4, 2004 at the manor. Monsignor Joseph K. Bobal will be the celebrant. Interment will be at Oak Hill Cemetery, Curwensville. Friends will be received at Chester C. Chidboy Funeral Home Inc., Curwensville, today from 7-9 p.m., Sunday from 2-9 p.m. and Monday from 8:30-9:30 a.m. when the procession will depart for the church. The Rosary will be recited at p.m. Sunday and a Scripture Vigil Service will conduct at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, both at the funeral home. Born Nov. 28, 1925, in Des Moines, Iowa, she was the daughter of Martin and Inez Anastasia (Wood) McFall. Shortly afterwards, her family moved Kansas City, Mo. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from St. Mary's College, Leavenworth, Kan., in 1945. She married Norman Crosby Whitaker in Kansas City, Mo., on May 31, 1946, and moved to Curwensville. He preceded her in death on June 24, 1992. Mrs. Whitaker and her husband were dairy farmers near Curwensville. She taught Religious Education classes at St. Timothy's and St. Bonaventure's Catholic churches for many years. She also served as an Eucharistic minister at St. Bonaventure. She worked as a home schooling instructor for several years and volunteered with the American Cancer Society. Mrs. Whitaker served on the Clearfield County Cooperative Extension Executive Committee for many years. Mrs. Whitaker was a member of the Clearfield County Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and served on the woman's committee. She received the Farm Wife of the Year Award in the early 1980s. She is survived by seven children, Jean M. Brugger and her husband, Mike, of Wooster, Ohio; Ruth Aletta Singley and her husband, William, of Curwensville; Martin E. Whitaker and his wife, Cindy, of Curwensville; George N. Whitaker and his wife, Flo, of Grampian RD; Inez L. Long and her husband, David, of Bernville; Nancy J. Nicoletto and her husband, John, of Bloomsburg; and Kenneth K. Whitaker of Helena, Mont. Also surviving are 19 grandchildren, Michele Allen and her husband, David, of Cimarron, N.M.; Andrew Brugger of Akron, Ohio; Mark Brugger of Columbus, Ohio; Frank Singley of Wilbur-By-The-Sea, Fla.; Norman Singley of Chicago, 111.; Robert Singley of Curwensville; Susan Singley of Hilo, Hawaii; Sean Whitaker of Chicago, 111.; Dori Lavery and her husband, Nate, of Knox; Talisa and Cara Whitaker of Curwensville; Kirk Whitaker of Dover, Del; Colleen Whitaker of Concord, N.C.; Sarah and Isaac Whitaker of Grampian RD; Ana and Elise Long, of Bernville; and Rachel and Krista Nicoletto of Bloomsburg; a great-granddaughter; a sister, Inez McFall of Lexington, Texas; two brothers, John McFall and his wife, Martha, of Melbourne, Fla., and Bernard McFall of Corona, N.Y.; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by her son, Donald Albert Whitaker, on Aug. 12, 1999; and her twin sister, Helen Louise Shirernan, on Sept. 25, 2001. The family suggests memorial contributions Be made to the American Cancer Society or Christ the King Manor in DuBois.

NOTE: Obit provided by Tom Schoening (#47398019). Thank you.