William Denis WHITAKER

Brigadier General William Denis Whitaker January 01, 1916 - May 30, 2001 Brigadier General William Denis Whitaker, DSO and Bar, CM, ED, CD, Officer of the French Legion d'Honneur, Commander of the Crown (Belgium), Doctor of Military Science (Honoris Causa) Royal Military College. - General Whitaker died peacefully after a brief illness in Oakville, Ontario on May 30, 2001. One of Canada's most highly decorated and deeply respected combat commanders of World War Two, Denis Whitaker was awarded the DSO at the rank of captain for his achievements in the Battle of Dieppe in 1942. He was the only one of 100 officers to land on the main beach, to fight his way into town and escape unwounded. As a lieutenant colonel, Whitaker commanded the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry in 1944-45 throughout most of the fighting in Northwest Europe, being awarded the Bar to his DSO in Germany. Truly a Renaissance man, Whitaker also excelled in sports and in business, where he progressed from executive positions in radio advertising to CEO of O'Keefe Brewery Company, to presidency of Major Market Advertising, to financial consultant with Nesbitt Burns. He was named Member of the Order of Canada, he was one of the first RMC graduates to be awarded an honourary Doctorate in Military Science and he was inducted into Hamilton's Gallery of Distinction. Denny's sports career was equally illustrious, beginning with captaincy of the RMC hockey and football teams. He was named All-Eastern Quarterback with the Hamilton Tigers (now Ticats) in 1938. Turning his interest to horses, he founded the Hamilton Hunt and chaired the Canadian Equestrian Team for over 20 years. Under his guidance the team won two Olympic, 15 Pan American and two World Championship gold medals. He was a founder and member of the board of the Olympic Trust of Canada, an honourary lifetime member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and a national senior squash champion. In 1990 Denny was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and last year was named to the Canadian Forces Sports Honour Role. He was the devoted father of Gail Whitaker Thompson, Clarke Denis Whitaker and Michael David Whitaker; grandfather of Helen Thompson (LaVel), Denis Rose, Sulu Rose and Michelle Whitaker and great-grandfather of Mikah Thompson, all now in the USA. Denny and his beloved co-author wife of 28 years Shelagh (Dunwoody) Whitaker forged a unique and passionately grounded interest in the soldiers' stories of World War Two, producing four highly regarded, widely distributed and translated books on the Northwest Europe Campaign. During that period he became a much loved father of Shelagh's daughters: Wendy Rutherford, Barbara Horne (Ian Shaw), Martie Hooker and Jenifer Cepella (Rob) and grandfather to Greg and Jamie Rutherford, Graham and Emma Shaw, Andrea and Christopher Hooker and Fraser and Connor Cepella. A regimental military service will be held on Monday, June 4, at 11 a.m. at St. Jude's Anglican Church, 160 William St. in Oakville. Decorations are appropriate. The family will welcome friends at the Whitaker's home, 2094 Lakeshore Rd. East, Oakville, on Sunday, June 3rd from 2-4 p.m. and from 7-9 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate contributions to the March of Dimes (10 Overlea Blvd., Toronto M4H 1A4) or the RHLI Museum (c/o The John Weir Foote VC Armouries, 200 James St. North, Hamilton L8R 2L1).