William Metts (Bill) Whipple, 89, passed away on February 10, 2021, after a Covid-19 diagnosis following a long illness. He lived his entire life in Georgia until the past year, which he and his wife Elizabeth spent in a care facility in Las Vegas, NV near one of their daughters. He was born in Atlanta, GA on March 2, 1931 to Wendell and Carolyn (Smith) Whipple, and he grew up in Perry, GA. He was an innovative thinker and a passionate advocate for making the world a better place, serving as a pastor, a counselor, and a volunteer.
He enjoyed a happy childhood in Perry with his 4 siblings. He had a paper route with his brothers for years, and Bill loved to tell stories about delivering important news to the town during World War II. He had a lifelong passion for music, and he sang in the Emory Glee Club, the Choral Guild of Atlanta, and the Atlanta Symphony Chorus. He was a fixture in church choirs until well into his eighties. He especially loved classical music and opera. A creative spirit, he also loved to write, draw, and paint.
He earned a B.A. from Emory University in 1953, a Master of Divinity degree from the Candler School of Theology in 1956, and a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Georgia in 1972.
Bill was a member of the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church, and served in pastorates in the Savannah, Albany and Waycross areas. In 1957, he married Elizabeth Bland of Rocky Ford, GA, with whom he had four children. He then worked as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in Atlanta until his retirement in 1991. After his retirement he served as pastor of Rex Methodist Church in Atlanta for three more years. Bill had a lifelong commitment to helping those in need, which he expressed through volunteering with his church and in soup kitchens, and his vocations of ministry and of vocational rehabilitation counseling in underserved neighborhoods.
Bill is survived by his wife and daughters, Karen Broderick (Joe) of Burbank, CA, Jean Whipple of Fort Bragg, CA, and Marian Rusche (Philip) of Henderson, NV, grandchildren Kelly and Kristen Broderick, Savannah and Max Whaley, Axel and Nick Rusche, and many extended family members. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, sister Barbara, brothers Wendell Jr., Earl, and Kenneth, his son Warren Whipple of Atlanta, and son-in-law Dennis Whaley of Fort Bragg, CA.
Those wishing to honor his life are invited to make a donation in his name to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, www.acfb.org. A memorial service will be held on a future date.
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So sorry to hear of Bill’s passing. I’m happy to know he was near family. Bill was such a sweet, kind person. I so appreciate his dedication to my grandfather, Andrew Louis Smith, and how he lived with him for the last year of his life. Papa so wanted to stay in his home and Bill helped him achieve that goal. I think of Bill and his love of all things “Henry Stiles Bradley”. He and Mom could talk for ages on that subject and she loved it. It wasn’t until I became interested in genealogy that I finally figured out the tangle of the two Henry Stiles Bradleys. I have the article he inspired written by G. Robert Gary (an acquaintance of his) titled “The Stiles Bradley Fund: Who was he, anyway?” Mother was so happy to assist. We were never close to Papa’s side of the family since he was our step-grandfather (again a fact we never thought about until we were older.) But as a small child I did go on trips to Perry and I remember talk of Carolyn and Wendell. Hope this recollection of Bill in my life gives you some comfort and a story that you might not have known about. Peace to you all. Susan Tatum Hynson
So sorry to hear of Bill’s passing. I’m happy to know he was near family. Bill was such a sweet, kind person. I so appreciate his dedication to my grandfather, Andrew Louis Smith, and how he lived with Papa for the last year of Papa’s life. Papa so wanted to stay in his home and Bill helped him achieve that goal. I think of Bill and his love of all things “Henry Stiles Bradley”. He and Mom could talk for ages on that subject and she loved it. It wasn’t until I became interested in genealogy that I finally figured out the tangle of the two Henry Stiles Bradleys. I have the article he inspired written by G. Robert Gary (an acquaintance of his) titled “The Stiles Bradley Fund: Who was he, anyway?” Mother was so happy to assist. We were never close to Papa’s side of the family since he was our step-grandfather (again a fact we never thought about until we were older.) But as a small child I did go on trips to Perry and I remember talk of Carolyn and Wendell. Hope this recollection of Bill in my life gives you some comfort and a story that you might not have known about. Peace to you all. Susan Tatum Hynson
So sorry to hear of Bill’s passing. I’m happy to know he was near family. Bill was such a sweet, kind person. I so appreciate his dedication to my grandfather, Andrew Louis Smith, and how he lived with Papa for the last year of Papa’s life. Papa so wanted to stay in his home and Bill helped him achieve that goal. I think of Bill and his love of all things “Henry Stiles Bradley”. He and Mom could talk for ages on that subject and she loved it. It wasn’t until I became interested in genealogy that I finally figured out the tangle of the two Henry Stiles Bradleys. I have the article he inspired written by G. Robert Gary (an acquaintance of his) titled “The Stiles Bradley Fund: Who was he, anyway?” Mother was so happy to assist. We were never close to Papa’s side of the family since he was our step-grandfather (again a fact we never thought about until we were older.) But as a small child I did go on trips to Perry and I remember talk of Carolyn and Wendell. Hope this recollection of Bill in my life gives you some comfort and a story that you might not have known about. Peace to you all. Susan Tatum Hynson
To Elizabeth and family, my heart goes out to you. I hope the fond memories bring smiles to your faces as it does mine as I reflect on the many years that I worked with and admired Bill. We joked about the Mr. Whipple toilette paper commercials and discussed religion on so many occasions. He was one of the kindest and most thoughtful men I have ever known. His genuine desire to make this a better world for people inspired his colleagues and the people with disabilities he served. Please know that his rehabilitation family will always remember his kind heart and gentle spirit. May he rest in peace. Alan Morris