Memorial

Betty J. Whiteaker, of her beloved Cedar Rapids, passed away on Wednesday, July 4, 2018 at the Abbott House Nursing Home in Lynn, Massachusetts. Funeral services and visitation will be held at 1:00PM on Saturday, July 14, 2018 at Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories. A private family burial at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery will be held at a later date

Betty was born in the spring on May 24, 1930 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa the daughter of Eugene and Marguerite (Swanson) Laurer. Toggling between the family farm in Independence, Iowa and her home on Bever Avenue, many happy youthful days were shared. After completing her undergraduate degree in 1952 from University of Iowa and being offered a corporate position at Hallmark Cards, she was “Toddled” off her feet in her first of life-long dances with Richard (Dick) Whiteaker and they married at First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids in 1953. As a glimpse of her future, her wedding band of four diamonds actualized into four children: 

Doug (Randi) Whiteaker of Scottsdale, AZ , Wendy (Emil Vezarov) Whiteaker of Marblehead, MA, Rick (Amy Belice) Whiteaker of Cedar Rapids, and Stacy (Kevin) Hillegas of Montclair, VA; seven grandchildren Andrew, Alyssa and Ellie Whiteaker, Ashley Sparks, Berkley Swarzentruber, Schaefer Whiteaker, and Sydney Hillegas; and great grandchildren Payton and Ryder Sparks.

In 1973, Dick and Betty founded Pool Tech Inc. in Cedar Rapids where she whole-heartedly supported Dick’s vision in addition to using her exacting bookkeeping prowess. In provision of her tranquil love of nature and wide vistas, she travelled first most in the pleasant gentleness of Iowa and then in the varied richness of the world with her enthusiastic loving husband who passed in 2013. Betty and Dick had retired to Cottage Grove Place and enjoyed many happy years in the Cottage Grove family where their son Rick brought always a smile and cheer in their lives. As her last trip in 2016, she lived with her daughter Wendy and son-in-law Emil in a peaceful seaside town in Massachusetts with lots of lobster, beautiful gardens, and Hallmark movies before an unexpected peaceful passing. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Anne Riley, and her loving husband Dick Whiteaker; all who are buried at Cedar Memorial.

With her wishes to keep moving forward and in partnership with her husband’s lead, memorial donations may be sent to Camp Courageous, Monticello, Iowa (http://www.campcourageous.org; PO Box 418, Monticello, IA 52310).