Dr. Daryle E. Whitfield

Funeral services were held Saturday, June 18, 2011 at Prentiss Baptist Church in Prentiss, MS for Dr. Daryle E. Whitfield, age 89, of Prentiss, MS, passed away June 15, 2011 at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, MS. Interment followed at Roseland Park Cemetery in Hattiesburg, MS. Saulters Moore Funeral Home of Prentiss was in charge of all arrangements. Rev. Jimmy McGee officiated. Pall bearers were J. R. Vance, Travis Bradley, Dakota Cox, John McGee, Harold Stamps and Curt Cranford. Honorary pall bearers were the members of the Foster Sunday School Class of Prentiss Baptist Church. Dr. Daryle Ealey Whitfield was born in Picayune, MS on April 22, 1922 to Fred W. and Ruby Williams Whitfield. Dr. Whitfield grew up in a family of six other children—two boys; Edgar and Gary Wayne Whitfield and four girls; Blonden Holdeman, Ruby Cushman, Sylvia Whitfield and Andrea Lingenfelter. He lived in Picayune until entering the US Army in November 1942. Dr. Whitfield served in the 82nd Airborne Division in Company F of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment during World War II. He had combat jumps behind enemy lines in Sicily, Italy; Normandy, France; and Groesbeck, Holland. He saw action in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge and in Germany. He received many honors and medals in service for his country, including the Purple Heart. After returning home, he entered Pearl River Junior College and finished there. He then entered Auburn University, where he received a degree in agriculture and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Upon his graduation in 1955, he worked as a Veterinarian in private practice in Kentucky and Louisiana. Dr. Whitfield entered service with the federal government as a Regulatory Veterinarian in September of 1958 and moved to Hattiesburg, MS. He lived and worked in Hattiesburg until his retirement in March 1989. Dr. Whitfield was married to Ginny Jacobs Whitfield for forty years until her passing in October 1989. Together they raised four children; Daryle Ealey Whitfield, Jr. of Perkinston, MS, Patricia W. Vance and Melinda W. Bradley both of Pascagoula, MS and Debi W. Cox of Petal, MS. Dr. Whitfield is survived by his second wife, Diane Seward Price Whitfield of Prentiss, MS; his four children and their spouses, six grandchildren, six great grandchildren; three step-children, Joel Price of Huntsville, AL, Paul Price of Houston, TX and Jan Green of Goldsboro, NC, a brother, Edgar Whitfield of Milton, FL; two sisters, Sylvia Whitfield and Andrea Lingenfelter both of Milton, FL and a host of nieces, nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Ginny Whitfield, a brother, Gary Wayne Whitfield and two sisters, Blonden Holdeman and Ruby Cushman.