Frank L. Whitington

Frank L. Whitington’s life of service came to a close on August 28, 2025. Francis Loren Whitington was born in Dallas, Texas on June 12, 1949, the last child of LeRoy and Irene Whitington. He grew up in the White Rock Lake area of East Dallas, attending both of his parents’ churches. He sometimes remarked that the Whitington children never doubted there was a God, but they often wondered if He was Catholic or Assembly of God, or both? Either way, Frank Whitington was guided by a strong faith in God for his entire life, from his childhood to his time at Rice University, where he earned a degree in Architecture, to his varied career in architecture, building inspection, and home repair. Frank was known for his good humor, his steadfastness, his joyful energy, and his reliable work. As a project manager, building inspector, and, in semi-retirement, as a handyman, Frank Whitington was a worker. Among some of his employers, he would talk about Trammel Crow, Louis Lloyd Oliver, Fischer-Spillman, the US Postal Service, and the US National Bureau of Standards, to name a few. Prior to moving to Corsicana, Frank Whitington was a fixture as a neighborhood handyman for more than three decades in Dallas’ Bryan Place. He was grateful to find a spiritual home in the Disciples of Christ Church—becoming a deacon and, eventually an elder and board chair at Central Christian Church of Dallas; Frank also joined East Dallas Christian Church and took on various building repair jobs alone and with other members and volunteers. More recently, he was proud to have volunteered at and joined 13th Avenue Christian Church in Corsicana, a predominantly Black congregation, as one of its few white members. Those were but three of the many communities bolstered by his ethic of love in action. He could frequently be found painting, fixing, replacing, repairing, cleaning, or tending to some other need he had noted and felt called to take on. Frank sang as a member of the Turtle Creek Chorale for the first seven years of its existence, and continued to support it throughout his life, lending his partner, Mike, to them every Tuesday night, etc. As a storyteller, Frank was an excellent raconteur; he also greatly enjoyed opportunities for hospitality, often taking people out to eat and sharing thoughtful conversation, working to build bridges between groups of people. Frank looked back on his life as one that had been so full of blessings. He was particularly grateful for a loving family, for good health, for the realization that “being gay was a blessing not a curse,” for opportunities to travel, for interesting work, for the years of love he shared with Mike, and for the love of Christ as his Savior. Frank is survived by his partner of over 27 years, Michael Raines, his brother, David Whitington, and many beloved nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his first partner, Charles Lee, and his sister, Leah Ruth, both of whom he cared for with tenderness and steadfastness in the years leading up to their deaths, as well as his eldest brother, George, and his parents. Friends, family, and others whose lives have been touched by Frank are invited to celebrate his life on Friday, September 12, at 13th Avenue Christian Church of Corsicana at 1 pm or on Saturday, September 13, at East Dallas Christian Church (629 N Peak St.) at 5 pm. Attendees are encouraged, if they so desire, to wear shorts in Frank’s honor. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that anyone moved to do so should offer their time, share acts of kindness, or make a donation to a charity of their choice to honor Francis Loren Whitington (1949-2005).

Frank L. Whitington

June 12, 1949 - August 30, 2025