Grover Cleveland Whitmire

Published 12:13 pm Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Grover Cleveland Whitmire, 93, of Sunny View, NC, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Thursday, May 25, 2023.

Grover was born in Tryon, NC, on June 24, 1929, to Crawford Truman Whitmire and Winnie Robinson Whitmire.  He graduated from Tryon High School and Wofford College with a BS in Pre-Law, Business. Enlisting in the US Navy in 1949, he served during the Korean War, stationed in Guam, and served on LST 857 as Yeoman First Class. He fought during the Battle of Inchon where he lost many friends. His Navy days were the most formative of his life.  

While on leave, he met Clara Inez Cothran, whom he won over and married in 1952.  They moved to Sunny View, NC, in 1955 where they raised their four children while he worked for the US Postal Service for 32 years. After Inez’ death in 1979, he married Ann Pitman Hutcherson in 1987, to whom he was married until her death in 2014. 

Grover loved the Lord and shared his faith with everyone he met.  He was a member of Coopers Gap Baptist Church for 70 years where he served as Chairman of the Deacon Board, Sunday School superintendent, and Sunday School teacher. 

Throughout his life he was an active citizen of Polk County dedicating himself to serving many organizations, including St. Luke’s Hospital Board of Directors, Polk-Rutherford-McDowell Health Board, Polk County Equalization Review Board, 4-H board, PTA president, and the Polk County Republican Party. He was an enthusiastic member of VFW Post 10349,  Merchant Marines, and Civil Air Patrol.  He loved our country and served it well. 

In addition to his parents and wives, he was predeceased by a daughter, Kathy Whitmire Romeo (Paul), and a brother, William Robinson Whitmire (Osa). He is survived by three children: Karen Whitmire Copley (Walker) of Spartanburg, SC; Glenn Crawford Whitmire (Sheila) of Sunny View; and Carol Whitmire Harwell (Rick) of Gastonia, NC. He loved his eleven grandchildren,  Jay Copley, Matthew Romeo, Jordan Romeo (Olya), Whit Copley (Meredith), Lucas Whitmire (Clarissa), Clara Copley Parris (Stephen), Kristin Whitmire Montgomery (Christopher), Lauren Whitmire Abril (Chris), Mackenzie Harwell Ellison, Gavin Harwell (Becca), Graeme Harwell,  and his nineteen great-grandchildren who all knew him affectionately as “Pa.” He is also survived by his niece, Marilyn Whitmire Hudson (Terry) and two stepsons, Robbie Hutcherson (Jodi) and Tim Hutcherson (Susan), their children and grandchildren.

Grover was known for his deep faith, convictions about life, and passionate, outgoing personality.  He was a life force to the last, very quick-witted, smart, opinionated, loving, outspoken, and funny. He will be missed.

Special thanks to the staff of Ridge Rest Assisted Living and Four Seasons Hospice for their love and devotion to him these last few months. He loved all of them.  

The family will receive friends at 3:00 on Saturday, June 3, 2023, at Coopers Gap Baptist Church, with the funeral following at 4:00.

Burial will follow in the church cemetery with military honors conducted by the Polk County Veterans Memorial Honor Guard.

Memorials may be made to Coopers Gap Baptist Church, 730 Coopers Gap Road, Mill Spring, NC, 28756, or Four Seasons Hospice, Hendersonville, NC.

An online guest register is available at mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com

McFarland Funeral Chapel & Crematory

Tryon, North Carolina