Obituary of Richard Whittiker

Richard Grant Whittiker, 55, of Flagler passed away at his home on March 7, 2011. Richard was born to Stanley Dale and Janice Lorraine (Burge) Whittiker on March 26, 1954, at Eads. He was the first of four children born to the couple who made their home on a farm north of Flagler. The family lived at the farm year-round until 1962, when they moved into a home Stanley built on Lincoln Avenue in Arriba. From that time forward, the family lived in the Arriba house during the school year and out at the farm during summers. Richard attended Arriba School throughout his childhood and excelled in sports. He graduated in 1972. After graduation, Richard attended Colorado State University at Fort Collins where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. He graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Agronomy in 1976. After graduation from college, Richard and a fraternity brother moved to the Phoenix area. In 1977, he met Kathy Diane Marshall, and the couple wed at a private home in Mesa, Ariz., in August 1979. Together with Kathy’s son, Jeremy, they moved to the family farm in 1980, where they farmed with Stanley until his death in 1985. In 1983, the family grew when they were blessed with the birth of Cameron Stanley. The four-member family continued to live on the farm until 1990, when Richard and Kathy’s marriage dissolved. Richard remained on the farm where he continued to farm and ran a pheasant hunting preserve. In 1994, his son Cameron moved back to the farm and assisted his father with the farming and preserve until Richard retired from farming in 1997, and the hunting preserve in 2006, due to health problems. Richard was a charismatic person who loved to debate almost any topic with just about anybody. He enjoyed fishing at Flagler Lake frequently with his son Cameron, and many fish bore the scars of Richard’s hooks. Richard was also a voracious reader who loved science fiction. Additionally, he was a follower of many European soccer teams and would watch match after match on television at all hours of the day or night. Richard was definitely a character that no one could forget. He left a lasting impression on everyone he met, and had a special connection with children often entertaining them with stories of his youth or playing sports with them prior to the decline of his health. He will be missed by those who knew and loved him. Richard was preceded in death by his parents. Left to cherish Richard’s memory are his sons, Cameron and his fiancée, Jolese George; and Jeremy Allison and his wife, Leslie, and their daughters, Darrien, Hailey and Chloe, all of Flagler; his former wife, Kathy Whittiker, of Gilbert, Ariz.; sisters, Wendy Pottorff and her husband, Terry, of Limon; Joni Copley and her husband, Doug, of Sterling; and Lori McCoin and her husband, Jim, of Calhan. Also left to mourn Richard are his uncle and aunt, Doug and Eunice Burge, of Arriba; and long-time friend James Huck of Arvada. Richard also leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and other extended family members.