Terry Lee Whitaker of Warsaw, Indiana passed away surrounded by his loving family at 12:11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at the age of 53 and finally free from his battle with cancer.
He was born on July 21, 1968 in Wabash, Indiana. He was one of three children born to Pastor William Lee Whitaker and Lora Aleene (Wright) Whitaker. Terry was a lifetime resident of Kosciusko County, Indiana where he was a 1987 graduate of Warsaw High School. He graduated in 1989 from Northwestern Auto Diesel College in Lima, Ohio (now called University of Northwestern Ohio). Terry was great with his hands, had an eye for detail and a mind for understanding how things worked and how to fix them and for eight years he worked as a mechanic for Rice Ford in Warsaw. He also sold Mac Tools for a number of years, and later began working for Motion Industries in Warsaw. Terry was a dedicated, reliable, hard-working employee for Motion Industries from 2005 until his retirement due to illness. When he was at home, he loved to use his trade to work on small and large engines. Terry had a mechanic’s hands, big, strong and rough which always made for a great handshake.
On September 20, 2010 he married the love of his life, Carrie Lee Koedyker. They spent their lives celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, family gatherings and of course he LOVED to go fishing with his wife. If you ever looked up in the sky and saw a hot air balloon, it could have very well been Terry in that basket. He was a master hot air balloon pilot and he very much enjoyed taking others up so they too could experience the adventure of floating up into the sky. He was a real family man and he especially loved being Uncle Terry to his nieces and nephew who loved him back. Terry left a big footprint on the hearts he leaves behind and he will forever be remembered as a loving son, brother, husband and friend to many.
He will be lovingly remembered by his wife: Carrie Lee Whitaker (Warsaw, Indiana); parents: Pastor William and Lora Whitaker (Warsaw, Indiana); brother: Scott (Alicia) Whitaker (Winona Lake, Indiana); and his sister: Debra (Charles) Pennington (Winona Lake, Indiana). Also surviving are his favorite nieces and nephew: Lori Pennington, Mason, Jocelyn and Addison Whitaker (all of Winona Lake, Indiana). He was preceded in death by his grandparents.
Terry’s life will be celebrated at 12:00 noon on Friday, April 1, 2022 at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, Indiana and officiated by Pastor Layne Sumner. A graveside service will follow at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw. Friends and family may visit prior to the service from 10:00 – 12:00 noon.
Memorial donations may be directed to Kosciusko Home Care & Hospice, P.O. Box 1196, Warsaw, Indiana 46581-1196.
Online condolences may be sent through the funeral home’s website at www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com.
