Obituary of Samuel Archie Whitten

Services for Samuel Archie 'Big Sam' Whitten, 72, Troup, are scheduled for 4:00 pm, Wednesday, February 6, 2013, at the Troup Church of Christ with Jim Heath officiating. Burial will be in the Pinecrest Cemetery, Troup under the direction of Cottle Funeral Home, Troup. Mr. Whitten died Saturday, February 2, 2013, in a Tyler hospital. He was born February 11, 1940, in Jacksonville to the late Leonard and Bernice Torbett Whitten. He had been a lifetime resident of the East Texas area and was a graduate of Carlisle High School. He was a retired truck driver who had worked for Curtis Mathis and was a member of the Troup Church of Christ. He served the Meals on Wheels program in Troup for many years. Survivors include his wife, Mary Whitten of Troup; a daughter and son-in-law, Shay and Shane Jones of Tyler; stepsons and stepdaughters-in-law, James and Kim Stark of Arp, Nathan and Missy Stark and Mark D. and Judy Stark, all of Troup; a stepdaughter, Katherine Kennedy of Tyler; 10 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be James Stark, Nathan Stark, Mark Stark, Bill Lacy, Billy D. Wilson, Ashley Hembree, Sam Clinch and Sammy Bates. Honorary pallbearers will be Jimmy Bates and Shane Jones. The Family will receive friends at the Church of Christ, Troup, from 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm, Wednesday, February 6, prior to the service. In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations for funeral expenses, mail to Kilgore Bank P.O. Box 457 Troup, TX 75789.