Whitby

Ellwood Pierce “Sarge” Whitby Jr., 72, of Rockdale died Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019, at the Temple V.A. Hospital.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20, at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Rockdale with Rev. Ken Ansell officiating.

The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. until service time on Friday.

Mr. Whitby was born Nov. 17, 1946, in Vallejo, California, to Ellwood Pierce and Alyce Marie (Tinsley) Whitby Sr.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army and lived in numerous places during his military career.

Mr. Whitby lived the past 16 years in Rockdale.

On May 21, 2004, he married Betty (Holliday) Taylor in Cameron.

Mr. Whitby was raised in the Catholic Church and enjoyed barbecuing.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Surviving are his wife, Betty Whitby of Rockdale; two sons, David Taylor of Rock-dale, Michael Taylor of McKinney; two daughters, Susie Taylor of Abilene, Karen Todd of Rockdale; a brother, Jeff Whitby of Anaheim, California; and two sisters, Jennie Johnson of Pearl, Mississippi, Elizabeth Schilling of Reynoldsburg, Ohio; also, 12 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.