Robert Whitaker

Robert "Bob" Whitaker died peacefully at his home September 20, 2016 at the age of 89. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Joanne, his son, Tom (Susanne), his daughter, Linda (Tad) Pfister, granddaughter, Erika, grandson, Andrew (Ashley), along with great grandchildren, Ava, Tanner and Natalie. He was born in Boone, Iowa, son of Ben T. Whitaker, MD and Dorothy Whitaker. He was a nationally-known outdoor writer and award-winning public relations specialist. Bob was a World War II veteran in the Infantry/Engineers, with service in the Philippines. He married Joanne Richey in 1949 and graduated from the University of Missouri in 1952. Following graduation he worked in advertising and journalism for several Iowa and Missouri newspapers where he initiated his outdoor writing career, specializing in outdoor travel, hunting, fishing and snow skiing. In 1957 he was named public relations director for Iowa Blue Cross Blue Shield where he received a BCBS national award for Excellent Performance in Public Relations and a national first place award for enrollment (sales) promotion. Because of his love of outdoor sports he pulled up stakes in 1960 and moved his family to Phoenix, AZ to a...[more]

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pt a public relations position with the city of Phoenix. He wrote a weekly outdoor column in the Scottsdale Progress, then in the Arizona Republic for the Sunday outdoor page for 16 years. He served two terms on the board of directors for the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) and as secretary-treasurer. He was past president of the Arizona Outdoor Writers. In 1964 he accepted a newly-formed public relations position with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Arizona, a post he held until 1985. He gained a reputation as BLM's best field PR officer. Bob's articles have appeared in over 35 regional and national magazines, including Outdoor Life, Field & Stream and Saltwater Sportsmen and his photos were on the covers of many of them. For years he was a regular contributor to Arizona Highways, including the entire May 1967 "Fishing in Arizona" edition and was honored with a plaque at the magazine's 50th anniversary. Bob credited his love of the outdoors to his mother, a nationally recognized horticulturalist and his photographic skills to his father. He was proud of having travelled to 20 foreign countries and all 50 states and having caught all of the world's premier game fish. His hunting or fishing companions included General Jimmy Doolittle, Ted Williams, Billy Williams, Ferguson Jenkins, Curt Gowdy, Andy Devine, Slim Pickens, Van Heflin, Ben Johnson, Larry Hagman and others. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, October 1, at the Church of the Epiphany, 8433 N. 12th Street, Phoenix. AZ 85020. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Bob's memory can be made to the Church of the Epiphany. Visit hansenmortuary.com for condolences.