Robert Theadore “Ted” Wilhite, Jr., 82 (2024)

On the 8th of July 2024, Robert Theadore “Ted” Wilhite, Jr. left this world for another.

Ted was preceded in death by his wife of over fifty years, Sarah Beville Wilhite; his brother, Richard and his sister, Mary Alice Garrett. He leaves his wife, Cecelia (Celie)Moore Wilhite who gave him great joy and happiness as well as love and tenderness. The families are Robert “Rob” Wilhite and his wife, Lori and their children, Richard (Jillian), Breanne (Gregory Ux), and Ross. Ronald “Ron” Wilhite and his wife, Janette and children, Raymond Wilhite, Ryan Wilhite (Cortney), Meaghan Brundage (Judson), Morghan Lawson (Johnny Oates). Wendy Wilhite Brill (Jonathan) and their children, Jacob Brill and Grant Brill. Ted’s stepchildren are Dr. John C. Moore, III (Kem) and their children, Jeff (Carol) and Kevin (Lee); Dr. Brue G. Moore (Wendie) and their children, Graham and Laura Moore Guerio (Dylan); and Carolyn Moore Hannaford (Tom) and their children, Christy Connor (Scott) Holly Hannaford and John Thomas Hannaford (Casey). Additionally, there are sixteen grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren. Ted and Celie loved them all. He also is survived by his two sisters, Dr. Flora Tydings (Mel Palmer) and Dorothy Leach (Steve Bloodworth).

Ted was born into the military at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, just before WWII. His father was commissioned and transferred to Waycross GA to open a training base for pilots. The family went from there to Sarasota and then to Tampa. As the war ended, the family moved to Okinawa, Savannah GA, Barksdale LA, Morocco and finally to Warner Robins, Ga.

Ted attended Clemson University where he was active running track and cross country. Later he attended Mercer University studying pre-med. He was a graduate of the Air War College NSF.

Ted enjoyed a long career in banking and was president of several banking institutions. A lifelong Methodist, he served as Lay Leader, Chair of Staff Parish, was a Certified Lay Speaker and worked at the local level, district level and in numerous positions in the Florida Annual Conference. He spent twelve years as a Trustee at Bethune-Cookman College. He recently sat on the Advisory Council for the USF Global Center for Diplomatic and Strategic Studies. Ted was president of the Southwest Florida Mortgage Bankers Association. While living in Fort Lauderdale, he chaired the Red Cross Board and upon return to Tampa, sat on the Tampa Board. Ted was a Lt. Col. Military Aide to two Georgia Governors. Later he was appointed by the Department of Defense as the Florida State Chair for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve with protocol rank of a two star. Ted enjoyed being a member of the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Ted worked as an announcer and a disc jockey in radio while in high school, in Morocco, in Georgia and in college, earning an Associated Press award for his novella on the 20th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Later, he worked part time as a newscaster and game show host on the first cable TV channel. He was the author of two books on business. For his work with the Department of Defense he was awarded a Commendation from the Secretary of Defense, a Commendation from the Secretary of the Army and The Distinguished Citizen Award from the State of Florida. After retirement, he was asked to serve as a consultant to Governor Lawton Chiles on the Welfare to Work Program in Florida. As a member of First United Methodist Church in Lakeland, Ted started a Men’s Bible Study called Followers of The Way which meets each and every Tuesday.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa, Florida at 500 West Platt Street on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at 11 a.m. Anyone wishing to remember Ted may make a contribution to Metropolitan Ministries of Tampa or to a charity of their choosing.

Condolences may be sent to the family at Heath Funeral Chapel.