JOHN FREDERICK WHITELEY passed away on August 29, 2017, after a long battle with ALS. He was born on July 18, 1950, in Paterson, New Jersey, to Wilfred and Elizabeth Whiteley. He grew up in New Jersey and graduated from High Point Regional High School in 1968. John received a congressional appointment to the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point Academy, Kings Point, N.Y., and graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nautical Science. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as an Ensign in the
U.S. Coast Guard and worked in the Marine Inspection Office. His second assignment was as Senior Investigation Officer in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1979, he resigned his commission and sailed for several years as a licensed ship's officer, working for Energy Transportation Corporation and Crowley Maritime Corporation, on container ships and liquefied natural gas carriers and sailed as Master on deep-sea towing vessels in the Gulf of Mexico. In 2001, Captain Whiteley retired from merchant marine and began a maritime teaching career. He received a Master's of Science degree in Adult and Technical Education and an Education Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Marshall University, and was admitted to the Doctoral candidacy by Marshall University. In 2002 he helped found the Inland Waterways Academy at Marshall, now Mountwest Community and Technical College in Huntington, West Virginia. In 2005 he was named Director of the Inland Waterways Academy, a position he held until he retired due to illness. Captain Whiteley became a Surveyor Associate with the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS) and in 2011, he received his Accredited Marine Surveyor designation. Captain Whiteley was also a member of the International Association of Marine Investigators. John was active in the Boy Scouts his entire life. He was a troop leader and worked for the Boy Scouts in several capacities, including as a camp director and as a staff member at the National Boy Scout Jamboree. He also worked with the Sea Scouts and in 2014, received the Finley Sea Scout Service Award. Captain Whiteley was active in the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and was the Flotilla Commander of the South Charleston Flotilla. John was a Mason and belonged to the Washington Lodge in St. Albans, W.Va., and a member of the Huntington Rotary. Captain Whiteley was also the education director for the Charleston chapter of the Power Squadrons. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth "Betty"; mother, Elizabeth Barnett; daughter, Meredith Whiteley; brother, David Whiteley; sister, Sieglinde Whiteley; stepdaughter, Stephanie Sanders; stepsons, Tim Dorsey and Travis Dorsey; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. A celebration of John's life will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, September 5, 2017, at
Casdorph & Curry Funeral Home, 110 B Street, St. Albans, with Pastor Richie McNiel officiating. Burial with military graveside rites and Masonic gravesite rites by St. Albans Lodge#58 will follow in
Donel C. Kinnard Veterans Cemetery, Dunbar. There will be a gathering of family and friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, September 4, 2017, at the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent to the family at
www.casdorphandcurry.com. Memorial may be made to your local chapter of the American Red Cross.
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