Dr. John Thomas Whitehead, age 79, of Johnson City passed away peacefully on Jan. 27 at the Abundant Christian Living Community after a brief illness.
Dr. Whitehead was born into the loving home of John and Adele Whitehead in Buffalo, N.Y., on a hot summer day on July 29, 1946. He was one of the original baby boomers, born the same summer as three U.S. presidents.
A few years later, his younger brother, Michael, would join the family in their Buffalo home.
In 1960, Dr. Whitehead’s favorite football team, the Buffalo Bills, debuted. He and his family have been fans ever since.
Dr. Whitehead earned his Ph.D. in criminal justice from the State University of New York at Albany and his master’s degree in sociology from the University of Notre Dame.
He was a highly acclaimed scholar during his 29 years at East Tennessee State University. He authored and co-authored six textbooks, including the leading textbook Juvenile Justice. In recognition of his accomplishments, he was awarded Educator of the Year by the Southern Criminal Justice Association as well as Distinguished Faculty in Teaching at ETSU.
Dr. Whitehead also served as chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology on two occasions. Upon his retirement, he was awarded emeritus status at ETSU. He was a beloved colleague and teacher.
Dr. Whitehead enjoyed spending time and traveling with his wife, Patricia, and their two sons, Dan and Tim. They especially enjoyed their trips to western New York to see his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Raymond and Frances Connell, and family vacations to places including Disney World, historical museums, and several Major League Baseball stadiums.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his father-in-law and mother-in-law.
Those remaining to cherish Dr. Whitehead’s memory include his loving wife of over 46 years, Patricia; son Dan and daughter-in-law Mandy of Alexandria, Va.; son Tim of Johnson City; brother Michael of Buffalo; and many friends.
Dr. Whitehead was a member of St. Mary Parish in Johnson City and a member of the Knights of Columbus.
A funeral Mass for Dr. Whitehead was celebrated on Feb. 14 at St. Mary Church followed by a graveside service at Monte Vista Memorial Park. Donations in his memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.