SUTTON – Amos C, Whitten, 91, of Sutton died Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at Saint Vincent’s Hospital Worcester after a long illness. He was the beloved husband of the late Lillian A. (Root) Whitten for over 60 years.
Born in Millbury, MA, he was the son of the late Charles T. and Alice (Jacques) Whitten. He was the brother of the late Winnifred Scott, Pearl Beaudette and Charles Whitten. He was a long time employee of the Town of Millbury Highway Dept. and ran a small farm in Sutton. Amos grew up in West Millbury, graduated from Millbury High School in 1936. In 1940 he married Lillian A. Root of Worcester. He is the father of Gordon Whitten of Littleton, MA, Janice Ferrell of Sutton, MA, Barbara Badi of East Otis, MA, and the late Kenneth Whitten of Assonet, MA. He also leaves four grandchildren: Gary and Alan Whitten, Evan Ferrell and Kate (Ferrell) Selvitelli.
Mr. Whitten was a proud veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served from May 1944, until December 1945. He served in the South Pacific, taking part in the invasion of Guam and Iwo Jima by operating a landing craft and later working on the construction of a landing strip. He attained the rank of Machinists Mate 3rd class prior to his discharge.
In 1949, Mr. Whitten purchased a poultry farm in West Sutton, raising poultry for eggs. He also raised sheep, cows and a horse and kept a large vegetable garden. After retirement, he continued to maintain the garden and sold produce at local farmer’s markets. He later initiated an agricultural restriction on the bulk of his land preventing it from ever being developed.
Mr. Whitten was a long time member of the Quinsigamond United Methodist Church. Over the years he served as an usher, a trustee and a choir member. He was active in the Millbury Grange, the Oxford Lodge of The Free and Accepted Masons and The Aleppo Shrine.
The family wants to thank the staff of The Woods at Eddy Pond for their caring attention to their father over the last 2 plus years.
Amos has donated his body to the Anatomical Gift Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester. Funeral services will be held at 11:00, Saturday, March 13 at the Quinsigamond United Methodist Church 9 Stebbins St., Worcester. Burial will be private at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Quinsigamond United Methodist Church, Current Expenses, 9 Stebbins St., Worcester, 01607 or to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children, 51 Blossom St., Boston, 02114. Arrangements in the care of Lindquist Lundin Funeral Home, 36 Butler St. Worcester. To place an on-line condolence, please visit.
www.lindquistlundin.com