George W. Whitney of Centennial, Colorado has died. He was 93.
Born September 27, 1928 to Ruth Wigglesworth and Theodore Train Whitney, Jr. in the Jamaica Plain district of Boston, Massachusetts. Grew up in Milton, Massachusetts. Graduated from Brush Hill Elementary School and Milton Academy where he was a five-letter athlete. Wrestled in the New England A.AU. championships at age 16, rising to the semifinals before losing by decision to the winner of the final, the captain of a college wrestling team. He lettered on an undefeated football team and two undefeated wrestling teams, captain his senior year. Also, lettered on two track teams doing the pole vault and javelin throw in high school and three in college. Summered on Old Neck Road in Manchester-by-the-Sea with family as a child and visited the family home there on brief vacations. In later years, he managed the house as a rental.
Served in the Army Sixth Division Artillery Military Police in the post-World War II occupation of Korea. Discharged on the West coast, he rode a motorcycle from Los Angeles back home to
Massachusetts, then up to Fairbanks Creek gold mining operations in Alaska for a summer job, and back to Massachusetts. Other summer jobs included grain elevator construction in Kansas and wheat harvest in North Dakota.
Graduated from Colby College where he was president of the DKE fraternity. Attended the
Colorado School of Mines and the University of Colorado. Worked briefly as a roughneck on an oil drilling rig in Montana, and as an underground stope copper miner in Butte, Montana before returning to school and becoming a geologist.
Married Margaret P. Randall on February 14, 1953 in Waterville, Maine.
For 31 years, an exploration geologist in various capacities dealing with oil and gas, oil shale,
phosphate, coal and uranium with Sinclair Oil & Gas Co., Atlantic Richfield Synthetic Crude and
Minerals Division, Anaconda Copper Company, and ARCO Exploration Co., living in such places as Denver, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque and Tulsa, and in later years, an independent geologist in Denver. Managing partner of G. W. Whitney Holdings, Ltd. residential rental and timber management.
Member of various professional associations including the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, Geological Society of America, and was a
licensed professional geologist in the state of Wyoming. Member of the Porsche Club of America, Rocky Mountain Region, driving in racetrack events. Climbed 26 of the Colorado Fourteeners.
Predeceased by brothers, Theodore T. Whitney Ill and Seth D. Whitney, wife, Margaret and son, Walter R. Whitney. Survived by daughter Ruth W. Turner, San Luis Obispo, CA, daughter Leslie C. Whitney, Chico, CA, four grandchildren and one great grandchild.
A graveside service was held in Centennial, Colorado.
