Wayne R. Whitmore, Sr., 100 of Mendota died January 8, 2018 in Heritage Health, Mendota.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Friday in Holy Cross Church with Rev. Peter Pilon officiating. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Mendota with Military Rites by VFW Post 4079. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Friday in the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota.

Wayne was born December 28, 1917 in LaCrosse, WI to Harold and Josephine (Weber) Whitmore. He married Teresa Wernsman on October 11, 1941 in LaSalle.

He was a member of Holy Cross Church and served on the Parish Council. He was a 1935 graduate of Mendota High School and attended Creighton University on a basketball scholarship. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II. He played with the Coca Cola basketball team in a semipro league for a number of years.  He was a member of Elks Lodge 1212 and the Mendota Golf Club. He was employed for 35 years by the U.S. Post Office, Mendota before his retirement. He served on the Graves-Hume Library Board and served as a Red Coat at Mendota Community Hospital.

He is survived by two sons; Wayne (Sue) Whitmore, Jr. of Mendota and David (Christine) Whitmore of Reston, VA; four grandchildren, Jennifer (Scott) Aughenbaugh, Todd (Claire) Whitmore, Sarah (Barry) Wahlberg, and Nicole (Josh) Kaser; nine great grandchildren, Cole, Haleigh and Abby Aughenbaugh, Madison Spencer, Griffin, Owen and Harlow Whitmore, Hannah Kaser and Madison Wahlberg.

He was preceded by his wife in 1993 and three brothers, Lynn, Donald, and Albert.

Memorials may be directed to Mendota Area Senior Services.