Obituary for James Harvey Whitley Jr.
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James “Jimmy” Harvey Whitley, Jr. was born on January 3, 1943, in Washington, D.C., and passed away peacefully, losing his battle with cancer, at the Hospice of the Chesapeake in Waldorf, Maryland, on February 13, 2024, at the age of 81 years old.
Jimmy was born the second child and the eldest son of James Harvey Whitley, Sr. and Fannie Ruth Bishop Whitley. He was named after his father, and the tradition continued with his son.
Jimmy attended Taft Junior High School and graduated from McKinley Technology High School in Washington, D.C., in 1961. He was a drummer in the school marching band and ran track. After graduation, he secured a job as a mail handler with the United States Postal Service.
Jimmy was drafted into the United States Army in 1964. He was stationed in Georgia for basic training until deploying to Italy, where he served the rest of his active military duty. After honorably being discharged from the U.S. Army in 1967, he returned home and to his old job at the U.S. Postal Service. He simultaneously applied for a position within the District of Columbia (D.C.) Fire Department while working with the U.S. Postal Service.
Jimmy, affectionately known by his children as “Da,” later married E. LaVerne Jones on January 6, 1968, having three children together from this union: James Harvey Whitley III, Nakia Troi Whitley, and Cherquira A. Whitley. His first marriage later dissolved in subsequent years.
Following his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, Jimmy was hired into the D.C. Fire Department in 1969. He worked as a D.C. firefighter for several years and was later promoted to sergeant. Jimmy aspired to climb the ranks and believed that taking college courses in “Fire Science” would give him an advantage. He took classes in this field at the University of the District of Columbia. And in true firefighter fashion, Jimmy climbed that ladder (excuse the pun) to the top, retiring as a Battalion Fire Chief of the D.C. Fire Department.
Jimmy was no stranger to hard work, a dual serviceman lending his time to the U.S. Air Force Reserve and the business of saving lives, dealing with the pressures of working as a D.C. firefighter. He participated in many station trips abroad as a Reservist, traveling extensively to various places around the world. Jimmy joined the “Civil Air Patrol” at Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George’s County, Maryland and reported for duty there monthly as a Reservist.
Jimmy’s last job before retiring was as a part-time security guard with Guardian Security Services. After retiring from the D.C. Fire Department, Jimmy went on to work as a school bus driver for the Prince George’s County Public Schools system.
In 1993, Jimmy was introduced to Alice McManus on a blind date set up by a close friend and immediately felt a connection. They began to date, leading later to marriage in August 1997. As a working and retired couple, Jimmy and Alice Whitley enjoyed many happy memories of traveling and vacationing, especially to Orlando, Florida. They took joy in going to the movies, plays, shopping, and visiting family and friends.
They also enjoyed regularly attending Sunday church services and brunching soon thereafter. This led to an annual Easter Sunday gathering for church and a big brunch with extended family and fellowship.
Jimmy always enjoyed church and bible studies and studied with several faiths. He was later baptized as a Seventh Day Adventist as his faith of choice.
A military enthusiast at heart and an avid reader of history, including non-fiction literature, Jimmy loved exploring history through books and watching military movies, a hobby he developed as a teenager. You could find a young Jimmy in the old family home watching combat films in the basement.
He also loved playing the drums and had his own drum set that he would play after a long day working at the post office. Jimmy would come home, change into comfortable clothes, and hit the drums for about an hour before dinner. The marching band legacy continued from his high school years.
Jimmy was a stylish young man. In his younger years, he drove a red Austin Healy sports car with a convertible top! He was a sharp dresser and would sport some of the latest men’s fashions.
Jimmy was an athletic, adventurous, and active man. He enjoyed swimming, jogging, bike riding, horseback riding, amusement parks, hiking, and camping. He loved camping with family in the DMV area and beyond, especially the historic Skyline Drive in Virginia. Jimmy took skydiving and flying lessons at Freeway Airport in Bowie, Maryland. Fishing trips on his father’s boat with family going up and down the Chesapeake Bay were frequent.
James Harvey Whitley, Jr. served his country and family well and should be commended for his love, faith, and courage—a salute to his homegoing and presence with the Lord. Family and friends will truly miss him.
Jimmy leaves to cherish his memory: his wife, Alice Whitley; his three children, James Harvey Whitley III (Rachel Whitley), Nakia Troi Whitley-Ngwala (Mayimona Ma Ngwala) and Cherquira A. Whitley; two sisters Carol Jean Whitley and Paula Maria Whitley, one brother Michael Jerome Whitley, eight grandchildren, Jamia Whitley, Jaquori Whitley, Jalin Whitley, Brayden Whitley, Maurice Royal, Isaac Florian, Xavier Mayimona Ngwala, and Xander Mayimona Ngwala, two stepdaughters, Michelle McManus Belton and Nicole LeNore McManus, and a host of relatives and friends. He is predeceased by one sister, Robin Michelle Whitley, and his parents, James Harvey Whitley, Sr., and Fannie Ruth Bishop Whitley.
To join the service via Zoom, please click here at the time of service
OR
enter this ID and passcode into your zoom application:
Meeting ID: 837 0828 7286
Passcode: Whitley
If you are experiencing trouble connecting to zoom, try refreshing your browser. If the trouble persists, contact our technology department at 301-347-8348 or email us at jkjenkins@jbjfh.com. Thank you.
James “Jimmy” Harvey Whitley, Jr. was born on January 3, 1943, in Washington, D.C., and passed away peacefully, losing his battle with cancer, at the Hospice of the Chesapeake in Waldorf, Maryland, on February 13, 2024, at the age of 81 years old.
Jimmy was born the second child and the eldest son of James Harvey Whitley, Sr. and Fannie Ruth Bishop Whitley. He was named after his father, and the tradition continued with his son.
Jimmy attended Taft Junior High School and graduated from McKinley Technology High School in Washington, D.C., in 1961. He was a drummer in the school marching band and ran track. After graduation, he secured a job as a mail handler with the United States Postal Service.
Jimmy was drafted into the United States Army in 1964. He was stationed in Georgia for basic training until deploying to Italy, where he served the rest of his active military duty. After honorably being discharged from the U.S. Army in 1967, he returned home and to his old job at the U.S. Postal Service. He simultaneously applied for a position within the District of Columbia (D.C.) Fire Department while working with the U.S. Postal Service.
Jimmy, affectionately known by his children as “Da,” later married E. LaVerne Jones on January 6, 1968, having three children together from this union: James Harvey Whitley III, Nakia Troi Whitley, and Cherquira A. Whitley. His first marriage later dissolved in subsequent years.
Following his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, Jimmy was hired into the D.C. Fire Department in 1969. He worked as a D.C. firefighter for several years and was later promoted to sergeant. Jimmy aspired to climb the ranks and believed that taking college courses in “Fire Science” would give him an advantage. He took classes in this field at the University of the District of Columbia. And in true firefighter fashion, Jimmy climbed that ladder (excuse the pun) to the top, retiring as a Battalion Fire Chief of the D.C. Fire Department.
Jimmy was no stranger to hard work, a dual serviceman lending his time to the U.S. Air Force Reserve and the business of saving lives, dealing with the pressures of working as a D.C. firefighter. He participated in many station trips abroad as a Reservist, traveling extensively to various places around the world. Jimmy joined the “Civil Air Patrol” at Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George’s County, Maryland and reported for duty there monthly as a Reservist.
Jimmy’s last job before retiring was as a part-time security guard with Guardian Security Services. After retiring from the D.C. Fire Department, Jimmy went on to work as a school bus driver for the Prince George’s County Public Schools system.
In 1993, Jimmy was introduced to Alice McManus on a blind date set up by a close friend and immediately felt a connection. They began to date, leading later to marriage in August 1997. As a working and retired couple, Jimmy and Alice Whitley enjoyed many happy memories of traveling and vacationing, especially to Orlando, Florida. They took joy in going to the movies, plays, shopping, and visiting family and friends.
They also enjoyed regularly attending Sunday church services and brunching soon thereafter. This led to an annual Easter Sunday gathering for church and a big brunch with extended family and fellowship.
Jimmy always enjoyed church and bible studies and studied with several faiths. He was later baptized as a Seventh Day Adventist as his faith of choice.
A military enthusiast at heart and an avid reader of history, including non-fiction literature, Jimmy loved exploring history through books and watching military movies, a hobby he developed as a teenager. You could find a young Jimmy in the old family home watching combat films in the basement.
He also loved playing the drums and had his own drum set that he would play after a long day working at the post office. Jimmy would come home, change into comfortable clothes, and hit the drums for about an hour before dinner. The marching band legacy continued from his high school years.
Jimmy was a stylish young man. In his younger years, he drove a red Austin Healy sports car with a convertible top! He was a sharp dresser and would sport some of the latest men’s fashions.
Jimmy was an athletic, adventurous, and active man. He enjoyed swimming, jogging, bike riding, horseback riding, amusement parks, hiking, and camping. He loved camping with family in the DMV area and beyond, especially the historic Skyline Drive in Virginia. Jimmy took skydiving and flying lessons at Freeway Airport in Bowie, Maryland. Fishing trips on his father’s boat with family going up and down the Chesapeake Bay were frequent.
James Harvey Whitley, Jr. served his country and family well and should be commended for his love, faith, and courage—a salute to his homegoing and presence with the Lord. Family and friends will truly miss him.
Jimmy leaves to cherish his memory: his wife, Alice Whitley; his three children, James Harvey Whitley III (Rachel Whitley), Nakia Troi Whitley-Ngwala (Mayimona Ma Ngwala) and Cherquira A. Whitley; two sisters Carol Jean Whitley and Paula Maria Whitley, one brother Michael Jerome Whitley, eight grandchildren, Jamia Whitley, Jaquori Whitley, Jalin Whitley, Brayden Whitley, Maurice Royal, Isaac Florian, Xavier Mayimona Ngwala, and Xander Mayimona Ngwala, two stepdaughters, Michelle McManus Belton and Nicole LeNore McManus, and a host of relatives and friends. He is predeceased by one sister, Robin Michelle Whitley, and his parents, James Harvey Whitley, Sr., and Fannie Ruth Bishop Whitley.