Brian Cooper Whittle's Obituary
There is no one more English than an Englishman who no longer lives in England.Brian Whittle was an Englishman by nine miles. He was born and raised just nine miles south of the Scottish border, in Carlisle. For his home country, he served in the Royal Air Force and after service married Grace, his wife of 55 years. It was here the couple celebrated the birth of their first son, Paul.Their desire for a new life brought them to America in 1965: First to Kentucky, then to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where they traveled the country as he led the crew of a Jaguar racing team. Wisconsin was a welcome introduction to lifelong friends, record snowfalls, and the Green Bay Packers, Brian’s favorite football team. In Milwaukee the family welcomed their second son, Tony and their daughter, Lynda. In 1970, the family moved to Oklahoma where they call home today. Brian’s profession and passion was auto mechanics and there was always a project-in-process in his garage, the sanctuary space he called his own. An enthusiastic do-it-yourselfer, Brian spent many weekends building, welding, constructing, woodworking, painting, and gardening to make their house a home.In his down time he was a frequent traveler, a wonderful benefit of his years of service with American Airlines. He enjoyed vacationing frequently with family to beach and golfing destinations around the globe.Distinguished, modest, intuitive, witty, creative, compassionate. These are a few of the words to describe Brian Whittle. He was humble in his demeanor and strong in his presence. He was a listener, a supporter, a comedian, and a fan for his family and friends. And over the years his family continually expanded through the countless people who adopted him as a father, a brother, and a son.His departure leaves a noticeable void for those who knew him. And to know him was to love him. He will be loved and he will be missed but he will never be forgotten.The family asks in lieu of flowers to please send a donation to: The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges 815 South Utica Ave Tulsa, OK 74104This non-profit center, supported by United Way, has been a God send for Brian and Grace for the past 16 years after Brian suffered a stroke. He enjoyed physical therapy, art classes and social time every day and made many friends with staff and members.Whittle family address: Grace Whittle 19318 E 43rd Street South Broken Arrow, OK 74014From the Whittle family: “Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your thoughts, prayers and support. It has been a long six months for our family and the love from friends and family have helped us through this difficult time.”Memorial Services will be held at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, March 30, 2017 at Floral Haven Funeral Home Chapel in Broken Arrow.
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