Marilyn L. Whitmore

Marilyn L. Whitmore, 74, of E. Watson St., Bedford, died Monday, January 10, 2011 at Western Maryland Health System, in Cumberland, MD.  She was born April 9, 1936 in Steele, ND, daughter of the late Linn and Madeline (Olson) Sherman.  On June 27, 1969, she married Dr. John T. Whitmore in Bismarck, ND, and he preceded her in death on February 26, 1996.  She is survived by a son John Linn Whitmore of Bedford and his companion Traci Weyant and her daughter Alexa.  Also surviving are five step-children; J. Kirk Whitmore of Grass Valley, CA, Nina wife of Steve Reed of Saint Helens, OR, Eric Whitmore and wife Beth of Palo Alto, CA, Laura Kaiser of Sunnyvale, CA, Genelle wife of Eric Wilson of San Jose, CA, five step grandchildren and two brothers; John L. Sherman and wife Louise of Bismarck, ND and William E. Sherman and wife Helen of Dumfries, VA.

Marilyn was a 1954 graduate of Steele Public High School and a1958 graduate of the University Of North Dakota School Of Nursing. She started her nursing career at Stanford University Hospital in Palo Alto, CA, where she was on the surgical team for one of the first kidney transplants. She then worked at a number of hospitals in California, at one of which she would often eat lunch with Shirley Temple Black who did volunteer work at the hospital.  She taught nursing in Philadelphia before moving to Bedford in 1972, where she worked in her husband’s offices in LaVale and Bedford. She later worked as a visiting nurse for Community Nursing, and at Loving Touch Flower Shop in Bedford.  She was very active in the Bedford County Garden Club, and was former President of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, and a regional director for the National Garden Club.  As a teenager in North Dakota, she often baby sat for the girl who later became the wife of Dick Clark.

Memorial services: Thursday evening, January 13, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. from the Bedford Presbyterian Church, with Rev. Doug Friant officiating.  In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, 1525 Cedar Cliff Drive, Suite 103, Camp Hill, PA  17011-1707, for a scholarship fund in memory of Marilyn Whitmore.  Arrangements by the Timothy A. Berkebile Funeral Home, Bedford.  Our online guest book is available at www.berkebilefuneralhome.com.