Hunter Byrd Whitesell, 89, died March 29, 2019, in Paducah, Kentucky. He was
surrounded by his loving family and caring staff at Lourdes Hospital.
He was born January 20, 1930, at the home of his grandparents, in Union City,
Tennessee. An Eagle Scout in Troop 43, he graduated Fulton City High School
in 1947, and Vanderbilt University in 1951. Whitesell was the third generation of
his family to attend Vanderbilt and enjoyed watching his children competing on the
football field and cross country course at Vanderbilt. As a second lieutenant in
the Marine Corps, Whitesell saw combat in Korea during that conflict. He retired
at the rank of Colonel from the Marine Corps Reserves in 1972.Following the war,
he earned a Law Degree from the University of Kentucky in 1957. He was married
August 16th that same year in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Whitesell spent several
years in Frankfort, where he and Genie began their family. He began his career in
Frankfort, first working as a law clerk for the Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals
(now Supreme Court), then as an Assistant Attorney General, and finally as an
Attorney for the Finance and Revenue Cabinets. In 1968, he returned to his
hometown of Fulton and practiced law in Kentucky and Tennessee for forty
years before retiring to the family farm.
Whitesell’s primary interests revolved around farming, gardening, and arrowhead
hunting.He had a love for his family’s history and was devoted to preserving the
family farmland. He was an avid reader of military history and, in his younger years,
wrote a comprehensive history of the Civil War in the Jackson Purchase, which was
published by the Kentucky Historical Society. Many of the roadside historical markers
in the area which pertain to that conflict are attributable to his efforts. Whitesell loved
trees and planted thousands of them.He developed a lifelong fondness for the open
sea during his time in the Marine Corps. He was a faithful member of Fulton First
United Methodist Church and taught Sunday School there in earlier years. He was
an active member of Rotary International.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Hunter Whitesell and Bell Dougherty
Whitesell, and one brother, Robert Dougherty Whitesell.
Whitesell is survived by Eugenia Baird Whitesell, his college sweetheart and
wife of 62 years, as well as his three children, Hunter Byrd Whitesell II (Juliana Jill)
of Fulton, Kentucky, John Bell Whitesell (Jacqueline) of Union City, Tennessee,
and Genie B.Whitesell, of Nashville, Tennessee. He is also survived by one sister,
Betsy Whitesell West, of Murray, Kentucky.
“Pa” is survived by four grandchildren: Benjamin Hunter Whitesell (Nicole), of Fulton,
Kentucky, Elizabeth Whitesell Boston (Arthur), of Murray, Kentucky, Jack Hunter
Whitesell and Jesse Walker Whitesell, of Union City, Tennessee.
Great grandchildren who survive are William Henry Boston, Arthur George Boston,
Annabel Byrd Boston, Lillian Rose Whitesell, Benjamin Hunter Whitesell II, and Amelia
Nicole Whitesell. Whitesell is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, including
Robert M. Whitesell of Fulton, Ky.
surrounded by his loving family and caring staff at Lourdes Hospital.
He was born January 20, 1930, at the home of his grandparents, in Union City,
Tennessee. An Eagle Scout in Troop 43, he graduated Fulton City High School
in 1947, and Vanderbilt University in 1951. Whitesell was the third generation of
his family to attend Vanderbilt and enjoyed watching his children competing on the
football field and cross country course at Vanderbilt. As a second lieutenant in
the Marine Corps, Whitesell saw combat in Korea during that conflict. He retired
at the rank of Colonel from the Marine Corps Reserves in 1972.Following the war,
he earned a Law Degree from the University of Kentucky in 1957. He was married
August 16th that same year in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Whitesell spent several
years in Frankfort, where he and Genie began their family. He began his career in
Frankfort, first working as a law clerk for the Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals
(now Supreme Court), then as an Assistant Attorney General, and finally as an
Attorney for the Finance and Revenue Cabinets. In 1968, he returned to his
hometown of Fulton and practiced law in Kentucky and Tennessee for forty
years before retiring to the family farm.
Whitesell’s primary interests revolved around farming, gardening, and arrowhead
hunting.He had a love for his family’s history and was devoted to preserving the
family farmland. He was an avid reader of military history and, in his younger years,
wrote a comprehensive history of the Civil War in the Jackson Purchase, which was
published by the Kentucky Historical Society. Many of the roadside historical markers
in the area which pertain to that conflict are attributable to his efforts. Whitesell loved
trees and planted thousands of them.He developed a lifelong fondness for the open
sea during his time in the Marine Corps. He was a faithful member of Fulton First
United Methodist Church and taught Sunday School there in earlier years. He was
an active member of Rotary International.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Hunter Whitesell and Bell Dougherty
Whitesell, and one brother, Robert Dougherty Whitesell.
Whitesell is survived by Eugenia Baird Whitesell, his college sweetheart and
wife of 62 years, as well as his three children, Hunter Byrd Whitesell II (Juliana Jill)
of Fulton, Kentucky, John Bell Whitesell (Jacqueline) of Union City, Tennessee,
and Genie B.Whitesell, of Nashville, Tennessee. He is also survived by one sister,
Betsy Whitesell West, of Murray, Kentucky.
“Pa” is survived by four grandchildren: Benjamin Hunter Whitesell (Nicole), of Fulton,
Kentucky, Elizabeth Whitesell Boston (Arthur), of Murray, Kentucky, Jack Hunter
Whitesell and Jesse Walker Whitesell, of Union City, Tennessee.
Great grandchildren who survive are William Henry Boston, Arthur George Boston,
Annabel Byrd Boston, Lillian Rose Whitesell, Benjamin Hunter Whitesell II, and Amelia
Nicole Whitesell. Whitesell is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, including
Robert M. Whitesell of Fulton, Ky.
Hunter Byrd Whitesell, 89, died March 29, 2019, in Paducah, Kentucky. He was
surrounded by his loving family and caring staff at Lourdes Hospital.
He was born January 20, 1930, at the home of his grandparents, in Union City,
Tennessee. An Eagle Scout in Troop 43, he graduated Fulton City High School
in 1947, and Vanderbilt University in 1951. Whitesell was the third generation of
his family to attend Vanderbilt and enjoyed watching his children competing on the
football field and cross country course at Vanderbilt. As a second lieutenant in
the Marine Corps, Whitesell saw combat in Korea during that conflict. He retired
at the rank of Colonel from the Marine Corps Reserves in 1972.Following the war,
he earned a Law Degree from the University of Kentucky in 1957. He was married
August 16th that same year in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Whitesell spent several
years in Frankfort, where he and Genie began their family. He began his career in
Frankfort, first working as a law clerk for the Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals
(now Supreme Court), then as an Assistant Attorney General, and finally as an
Attorney for the Finance and Revenue Cabinets. In 1968, he returned to his
hometown of Fulton and practiced law in Kentucky and Tennessee for forty
years before retiring to the family farm.
Whitesell’s primary interests revolved around farming, gardening, and arrowhead
hunting.He had a love for his family’s history and was devoted to preserving the
family farmland. He was an avid reader of military history and, in his younger years,
wrote a comprehensive history of the Civil War in the Jackson Purchase, which was
published by the Kentucky Historical Society. Many of the roadside historical markers
in the area which pertain to that conflict are attributable to his efforts. Whitesell loved
trees and planted thousands of them.He developed a lifelong fondness for the open
sea during his time in the Marine Corps. He was a faithful member of Fulton First
United Methodist Church and taught Sunday School there in earlier years. He was
an active member of Rotary International.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Hunter Whitesell and Bell Dougherty
Whitesell, and one brother, Robert Dougherty Whitesell.
Whitesell is survived by Eugenia Baird Whitesell, his college sweetheart and
wife of 62 years, as well as his three children, Hunter Byrd Whitesell II (Juliana Jill)
of Fulton, Kentucky, John Bell Whitesell (Jacqueline) of Union City, Tennessee,
and Genie B.Whitesell, of Nashville, Tennessee. He is also survived by one sister,
Betsy Whitesell West, of Murray, Kentucky.
“Pa” is survived by four grandchildren: Benjamin Hunter Whitesell (Nicole), of Fulton,
Kentucky, Elizabeth Whitesell Boston (Arthur), of Murray, Kentucky, Jack Hunter
Whitesell and Jesse Walker Whitesell, of Union City, Tennessee.
Great grandchildren who survive are William Henry Boston, Arthur George Boston,
Annabel Byrd Boston, Lillian Rose Whitesell, Benjamin Hunter Whitesell II, and Amelia
Nicole Whitesell. Whitesell is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, including
Robert M. Whitesell of Fulton, Ky.
surrounded by his loving family and caring staff at Lourdes Hospital.
He was born January 20, 1930, at the home of his grandparents, in Union City,
Tennessee. An Eagle Scout in Troop 43, he graduated Fulton City High School
in 1947, and Vanderbilt University in 1951. Whitesell was the third generation of
his family to attend Vanderbilt and enjoyed watching his children competing on the
football field and cross country course at Vanderbilt. As a second lieutenant in
the Marine Corps, Whitesell saw combat in Korea during that conflict. He retired
at the rank of Colonel from the Marine Corps Reserves in 1972.Following the war,
he earned a Law Degree from the University of Kentucky in 1957. He was married
August 16th that same year in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Whitesell spent several
years in Frankfort, where he and Genie began their family. He began his career in
Frankfort, first working as a law clerk for the Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals
(now Supreme Court), then as an Assistant Attorney General, and finally as an
Attorney for the Finance and Revenue Cabinets. In 1968, he returned to his
hometown of Fulton and practiced law in Kentucky and Tennessee for forty
years before retiring to the family farm.
Whitesell’s primary interests revolved around farming, gardening, and arrowhead
hunting.He had a love for his family’s history and was devoted to preserving the
family farmland. He was an avid reader of military history and, in his younger years,
wrote a comprehensive history of the Civil War in the Jackson Purchase, which was
published by the Kentucky Historical Society. Many of the roadside historical markers
in the area which pertain to that conflict are attributable to his efforts. Whitesell loved
trees and planted thousands of them.He developed a lifelong fondness for the open
sea during his time in the Marine Corps. He was a faithful member of Fulton First
United Methodist Church and taught Sunday School there in earlier years. He was
an active member of Rotary International.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Hunter Whitesell and Bell Dougherty
Whitesell, and one brother, Robert Dougherty Whitesell.
Whitesell is survived by Eugenia Baird Whitesell, his college sweetheart and
wife of 62 years, as well as his three children, Hunter Byrd Whitesell II (Juliana Jill)
of Fulton, Kentucky, John Bell Whitesell (Jacqueline) of Union City, Tennessee,
and Genie B.Whitesell, of Nashville, Tennessee. He is also survived by one sister,
Betsy Whitesell West, of Murray, Kentucky.
“Pa” is survived by four grandchildren: Benjamin Hunter Whitesell (Nicole), of Fulton,
Kentucky, Elizabeth Whitesell Boston (Arthur), of Murray, Kentucky, Jack Hunter
Whitesell and Jesse Walker Whitesell, of Union City, Tennessee.
Great grandchildren who survive are William Henry Boston, Arthur George Boston,
Annabel Byrd Boston, Lillian Rose Whitesell, Benjamin Hunter Whitesell II, and Amelia
Nicole Whitesell. Whitesell is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, including
Robert M. Whitesell of Fulton, Ky.
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