Gary J. Whitten

Gary Joseph Whitten entered his eternal home on September 16, 2026, at the age of 79. While his absence leaves an ache in the hearts of those who loved him, there is comfort in knowing that the faith he carried so quietly throughout his life has now become sight. After spending his final months deeply missing his beloved Peggy, Gary has reached the home he prayed toward and the reunion his heart longed for.

Born May 25, 1947, to Ruth and Charles Whitten, Gary was the youngest of three children and their only son, with two older sisters, Barbra Jo and Mary Jane. He graduated from Haubstadt High School, where a lifelong love of sports—especially baseball—had already taken root. Shortly after graduation, he began a 41-year career with the railroad, working with the same dedication he gave to the people and things he loved.

Gary married the love of his life, Peggy Ann, and for 55 years they built a life together rooted in family, faith, laughter, and, more often than not, sports. Together they raised three children, Casey, Jonna, and Sean, and eventually found some of their greatest joy in watching the lives of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren unfold.

To know Gary was to know his love for sports, but baseball held a place all its own. Gary didn't simply know the game—he understood it. He studied it, respected it, taught it, and loved passing it on. Through years of coaching, he touched countless young lives, and the stories are still told today—of his knowledge, determination, competitiveness, and, of course, his not-so-passive opinions for an umpire when he believed one was warranted. Long after the final out, former players still carry pieces of what Coach Whitten taught them. His greatest record was never wins and losses, but the lasting impression left by one man who truly loved the game and the people he shared it with.

After 41 years on the railroad, Gary retired and confirmed what his family had long suspected: he may have been meant for retirement all along. He traded the railroad schedule for one built around the game times of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, somehow fitting an impressive number of sporting events into a single day. His seat moved from the dugout to the stands, but the knowledge, competitiveness, pride—and opinions—never left.

Gary was also a loyal Cincinnati Reds fan, through the good years and the bad. He might turn a game off midway through out of pure disgust, but his frustration never lasted as long as his loyalty. He always rallied back, proudly wearing his Reds hats and apparel season after season.

But Gary's life was about far more than baseball. He loved life, laughed often, and accumulated a few questionable decisions that became better stories with time. More importantly, Gary possessed the humility to look inward, recognize his own faults, ask for forgiveness, and try again the next day. He extended that same grace freely to others—with patience, forgiveness, and love.

Perhaps Gary never fully realized that the version of himself he sometimes questioned was already more than enough to those around him. His influence reached much further than he likely knew, and a conversation with Gary had a way of leaving you a little better than you were before it began.

Gary found happiness in simple things: a cheeseburger, popcorn, a cold Coke, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with the crust removed with near precision—but never wasted. The crust went into a bag, because apparently even a PB&J had a system. He didn't need much to enjoy life—people he loved, somewhere to go, a game to watch, and perhaps an opportunity to explain how it could have been played a little better.

Raised in a deeply rooted Catholic home, Gary's faith was personal, constant, and quietly woven throughout his life. He prayed the Rosary daily and continually sought prayer, grace, and forgiveness. He didn't speak loudly about his faith; he lived it quietly enough that those closest to him could see it.

Gary also wrote everything down—thoughts, prayers, reminders, and even batting lineups—on nice paper, a napkin, or whatever happened to be nearby. And he kept those notes. What may have looked like scraps of paper became little pieces of Gary, preserving what occupied his mind, what filled his prayers, and what mattered to his heart.

On December 29, 2025, Gary lost Peggy, his wife of 55 years and the love of his life. After more than half a century of walking through life side by side, her absence left a space nothing else could fill. He missed her deeply. In the months that followed, Gary leaned even harder into the faith that had carried him for a lifetime. He loved his family, kept moving forward, and held tightly to the belief that their separation was not forever.

On September 16, 2026, that wait ended.

Gary leaves behind far more than 41 years on the railroad, seasons of baseball, Reds hats, handwritten notes, and stories that will be told for generations. He leaves pieces of himself in his children and family, in the grandchildren and great-grandchildren he proudly watched from the stands, in former players who still carry the lessons of their coach, and in the many people who were simply better for having known him.

Gary spent his life aware of his imperfections, seeking forgiveness and trying again. Yet perhaps one of the greatest truths of his life was one he may never have fully seen himself:

To those who loved him, Gary never needed to be perfect. He was already more than enough.

The games will continue, the stories will be retold, and another questionable call will surely be made. But Gary will remain—in lessons remembered, conversations missed, handwritten notes discovered, faith passed on, and a family that will continue carrying his love forward.

He was preceded in death by his wife , Peggy Whitten, his parents Charles and Ruth Whitten. His mother in law, Charlotte May and father in law Kenny May . He is survived by his children, Casey (Lisa) Whitten, Jonna Whitten, Sean (Lyndsey) Whitten, grandchildren, Haley (Josh) Schmitt, Mackenzie (David Jin) Whitten, Shayla ( Logan) Dilbeck, Tobe ( Megan) Whitten, Charlie, Ty and Maylee Whitten great grandchildren, Owen and Olivia Schmitt, Senna and Gus Jin, Ruby and Lainey Whitten

A visitation will be held on Sunday, September 20, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Stodghill Funeral Home. A recitation of the rosary will occur prior to visitation at the funeral home at 3:30 p.m. Funeral Services will be held on Monday, September 21, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. with visitation prior to mass from 9:00 a.m. until service time at Sts. Peter and Paul Church. To celebrate Gary in true Gary fashion, we invite you to wear Cincinnati Reds gear, baseball attire, or anything that brings to mind the man we all knew and loved.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Gibson Southern Baseball or Wrestling or Princeton Legion Post 25 Baseball. Expressions of sympathy may be made at stodghillfuneralhome.com.

Reunited with Peg and called safely home—where there are no final innings, no bad calls, and the love of the game lives on forever.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” — 2 Timothy 4:7