Oren Reid Whitman

Oren Reid Whitman, 86, went home to meet his Lord Friday, October 20, 2016 in a local nursing home after a brief illness.  He is now gloriously united with his Lord and joyfully reunited with his beloved wife and family.

Oren Reid grew up in Kurthwood, LA.  He was the youngest son of Rev. Adam Bennett and Girdie Simmons Whitman.  Being a country boy and spending lots of time at his grandparent’s farm, right down the road from his parent’s home, was a wonderful upbringing for Reid, as he was most often called.  One of his proudest memories was of strangers knocking on his grandparent’s door regularly.  The custom was that no one was ever turned away.  He remembered that by the time his grandfather answered the door and invited the strangers in, his grandmother had the table set and food was being served.  This “love thy neighbor” approach taught to him by his parents and grandparents let Reid to be the man he became.  He was always willing to help his neighbor and no one ever entered the house without being offered coffee and more. 

Reid graduated from Leesville High, and at 17 he enlisted in the Air Force.  He served from 1947-1952 as a mechanic in the Korean War.  He served proudly and was even decorated for getting his plane (bomber) serviced and back in the air faster than others.  To Reid, it was good fortune that he visited and was stationed in many places all over the world including Panama, Japan, and he even took the time to go fishing in Greenland.  He met and married his one true love, Willie Baird Whitman in 1955 and soon after began using his mechanic skills at Firestone Tire and Rubber for the next 33 years.  Also during that time he and Willie became charter members of Murray Street Baptist Church (now East Ridge Baptist Church) where they and their friends had families and spent time together serving the church and each other.  Reid was a devoted Masonic member for over 45 years and spent one year as Grand Master of Calcasieu Lodge 400. As a Shriner, Reid traveled all over LA riding his little motorcycles and to the end sporting his Fez hat in parades.  As the years passed Reid began introducing himself as “Oren” and became lovingly committed to the “apples of his eye,” his two grandsons.  Rolling around on the floor, camping and each riding 4-wheelers, Rodeos, and more were a joy for him.  Later, as his wife had serious medical issues, he devoted himself to her and her needs and was true to his vows of-in sickness and in health-and love and faithfulness.  Oren Reid was a man that took life seriously and took seriously everyone in his life.

Oren Reid Whitman (1930-2016) was preceded in death by his wife of almost 50 years and his brothers, Pete and Adam Whitman.  He will be missed by his sister, Margarite and brother-in-law, Hassel Parker, Sr.  He will be surely missed by his daughter, Martha Ann Whitman Damian and his son and his wife, Edgar Bennett and Tammie Whitman, as well as those two grandsons, Christopher Reid Damian and SSgt. Adam Bennett, and Hannah Whitman.  He was also blessed with two great-grandchildren, Miss Ryleigh Jaymes Damian (6) and David Reid Whitman (3).

Services for Mr. Whitman were entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home.