Ralph Elias Whitaker

Our beloved father, grandpa, and friend returned to his loving Heavenly Father on March 27, 2021. Ralph Elias Whitaker, age 92, passed away at home.

Ralph was born on November 14, 1928 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Eugene T. Whitaker and Nellie Woodruff Whitaker. He was the middle child. He had an older brother, Eugene, and younger sister, Maurine.

He developed a beautiful tenor singing voice and enjoyed performing for friends and family. He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Northwestern States in 1948 and served in the Air Force in 1951.

He married his eternal sweetheart, Donna Jean Empey, on November 3, 1952 and together they had five children, four daughters: Connie, Kristine, Susanne, and Mary, and one son, John.

He worked as a police officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department and retired as a sergeant after 20+ years. He enjoyed guns: shooting, buying, and trading.

Ralph served in many capacities in the Church. He was a temple ordinance worker in the Salt Lake Temple, bishopric counselor, high councilor, and served another mission with his wife in the Portland Oregon Mission.Most important in his life were his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed telling his children and grandchildren stories about his mission and work as a police officer. In the summer-time the family would go up to their family cabin to have lots of good food, enjoy the beauties of nature, and play games.

In his younger days, he enjoyed fly fishing with his father and brother-in-law and they would fish up at the family cabin and take trips to Wyoming.

He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. He and Donna created a special song for each grandchild and made a video of each one. He enjoyed the holidays and on Halloween he would put on a funny nose when he passed out the candy. He and Donna had a big family Christmas party where he would read the nativity story. They would also sing Christmas carols accompanied by his wife, Donna.

He had a love for the gospel of Jesus Christ and frequently bore his testimony to those he met. He was very knowledgeable about the scriptures and could quote scriptures he learned on his mission.

He is survived by his children and their spouses: Connie Jones, Kristine (Randy) Satchwell, John Whitaker, and son-in-law David Procter, 10 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother and sister, wife, daughter Mary (Glen) Chatterton, grandson Craig, daughter Susanne Procter, daughter-in-law Linda Whitaker, and son-in-law David Jones.

Funeral services will be on Saturday, April 10, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at the Rose Park 8th Ward chapel, 1155 North 1200 West, Salt Lake City, Utah. Viewing will be from 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. prior to the service at the church. Interment at Salt Lake City Cemetery.

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