Obituary of Wallace Bruce Whittaker

Wallace Bruce Whittaker, age 82, died Sunday, April 10, 2022 at Parkland Memory Care in Chandler AZ. Wally has lived in Arizona for the past 24 years after moving from New Jersey. Born February 3, 1940, in New Haven CT, Wally was the son of the late Cyril and Irma (Cole) Whittaker. At the age of 4, his family moved to the Bayview Beach section of Milford CT, where he graduated from Milford High School in the Class of 1958, where he served as the Class President and played baseball and basketball. In his youth, Wally loved growing up near Bayview Beach "" a place he spent many days swimming, diving, and socializing on the Long Island Sound beach with his two older brothers and his younger sister. He was a lifeguard for many years at Bayview Beach as well. A consummate athlete, Wally received his Bachelor"s degree in Physical Education from Springfield College (MA) where he was an infielder for the varsity baseball team and a guard for the basketball team, and was that team"s Captain. He would later earn his Master"s degree from Montclair State College (NJ). After graduation from Springfield College, he joined the athletic department faculty of Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken NJ as a Physical Education teacher and coach, and he retired in 1998 after 35 years there. While at Stevens he was the athletic facilities director for many years and he coached many sports including lacrosse, tennis, platform tennis and bowling. Wally was the Head Coach of the baseball team from 1968 through 1982, when he became the Head Coach of the basketball team from 1982 through 1992. He finished his career at Stevens as the Assistant Athletic Director. On a blind date in 1961, he met the love of his life, Margaret Vickers and the two were married in 1963. After moving his family to Millburn NJ in 1973, the couple moved to Chandler AZ in 1998 where they have lived since. After the move to Arizona, he worked for a number of years at Kett Engineering in Chandler AZ until his diagnosis with Alzheimer"s Disease prevented him from continuing. A great example of hard work and dedication, Wally often had a smile on his face, loved teaching, coaching and being an active participant in many sports. In his retirement, Wally often was seen riding his bike in the Ocotillo section of Chandler, but most importantly, he was a fantastic grandfather to his seven grandchildren, all of whom had a special place in his heart. His daily declaration of "Hello World!" brought many a smile to anyone close by or they might be entertained by his crooning to one of his favorite songs. In addition to his parents, Wally was predeceased by his two brothers, Cyril Barrton (Bart) Whittaker in 2016 and Paul Gordon Whittaker in 2020. He is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Margaret (Peg) Whittaker, his son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Amy Whittaker of Flemington NJ, his son, Kenneth of Chandler AZ, his son, Daniel of Chandler AZ, his daughter and son-in-law, Martha and David Byrd of Chandler AZ, his seven grandchildren, Caitlin, Philip, Kelly, Andrew, Steven, Emma and Sophie, and his two great-grandsons, Ayden and Bryce, as well as his sister and brother-in-law, Nancy Jo and James Connors of Milford CT, and several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon on Friday, April 15, 2022 at Falconer Funeral Home, 251 W. Juniper Ave., Gilbert, AZ 85233. Cremation will follow privately. Calling hours will be Friday morning from 10:00 am until the time of service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations in Wally"s memory may be made to the Alzheimer"s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011.