Nita Whipple

Nita Whipple was a woman who faced many challenges in her lifetime, yet through it all, she remained her own person. She was a caring, compassionate woman, a woman of great faith and strength. Nita was a loving wife, caring mother, and a friend to many, but more than anything, she taught us to follow our own paths in life, just as she always did. Nitas story began on a warm spring day in 1950, in the beautiful shoreline city of Grand Haven, Michigan. Those were turbulent times in this country, which went back to war in Korea, and was battling the Cold War and the Red Scare here at home. Yet on May 3, 1950, Lawrence and Phyllis (Ruch) Yettah found a reason to celebrate, with the birth of a beautiful baby girl, a daughter they named Nita Janice. Nita was the youngest of four daughters in the familys Muskegon home, joining her big sisters Pat, Gloria and Lisa. The family lived on Grant Street in Grand Haven, and her father owned and operated United Steam & Engineering, an industrial cleaning company. The Yettah family were devout Catholics, especially Nitas dad, who even wanted her to grow up to become a nun! Nita, of course, had other plans. Nita attended Grand Haven Schools, where she was a very good student. When she was in the eighth grade, she often went with some friends to the Grand Haven Roller Rink, which was a popular hangout with kids in those days. She loved roller skating, and was very, very good at it, and even competed on the racing team there. One day she met a young boy named Ed Whipple at the roller rink, and it was love at first sight for the both of them. Ed was a year older than Nita, but they fell in love that day, going round and round the rink together. However, Nitas father wasnt too pleased with this development, and promptly sent her away to Grand Rapids, to attend a Catholic all-girls school called the Marywood Academy. The young couple was separated for a year as a result, though their feelings for each other remained strong. When she returned to Grand Haven, they connected again, and began dating. The young couple got married on June 10, 1966, when Nita was just 16 years old. That was Nita, though; always her own person, always following her own path in life, a path she and Ed happily walked together. It wasnt too long before the young newlyweds became parents, too. Their first child, their son Chris, was born in 1968, and their son Cory rounded out the family a year later in 1969. In addition to caring for her children, Nita and Ed both worked at several foster care homes over the years, helping take care of the young and old alike. Later in life, after her boys had grown and got out on there own, Nita began working as an assembler at Michigan Brass in nearby Spring Lake for a time. Sadly, times became tougher for Nita and her husband. She and Ed became estranged from her sisters, which took its toll on her emotionally, and she began having heart problems, which affected her physically. Her heart trouble made it too difficult to work at Michigan Brass any longer, and she went on disability. As she recuperated, Nita and Ed began attending the Vineyard Christian Fellowship Church, which she enjoyed very much, and it began to buoy her spirits. For the first time in awhile, things were looking better for the two of them. Sadly, Nita suffered a sudden stroke on Tuesday, January 15, 2008, one she couldnt recover from, and died on Wednesday, January 16, 2008, at the age of 57. Her husband Ed agreed to donate her organs, so she could help people, just as she always tried to do. Nita was a woman who faced many challenges in her lifetime, yet also enjoyed many successes. She was a loving wife, caring mother, and a faithful friend to many, who loved her for her strength and her spirit. No matter what Nita faced, she remained her own person, who taught us to follow our own paths in life, just as she always did. She will be greatly missed. Nita is survived by her husband of 41 years, Ed, her sons Chris and Cory, and her sisters Pat, Gloria and Lisa. A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, January 18, 2008, 11:00 AM at Vineyard Christian Fellowship with Pastor Gary Sherwood officiating. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to share a memory or photo of Nita, or to sign the online guest book.