Joseph Gale Whitson

Joseph Gale “Joe” Whitson, 86, of Cleveland, TN passed away on March 5, 2023. He was born on June 4, 1936 in Harriman, TN and attended South Harriman High School where he graduated with honors in 1954. While at South Harriman Joe played football, baseball, and basketball. Joe continued these athletic endeavors at Tennessee Polytechnic Institute (now Tennessee Tech), graduating in 1959.

Joe loved the Lord and was a student of the Bible. He loved his country and was very interested in politics and the changing state of our nation, sharing his views in over 3,000 handwritten papers. He was a patriot, proudly serving and honorably discharged in 1965 after 6 years in the United States Army Reserves. Achieving the role of tank commander, he received various service medals for his accomplishments.

Joe is preceded in death by two sons, Joseph Gale Whitson, Jr. and John David Whitson; parents, Bonnie Marie Cochran Whitson and Albert Earl “A.E.” Whitson; and siblings, Gatha Elaine “Dick” Honeycutt, Charles Edward “Jack” Whitson, Albert Earl “Junior” Whitson, Jr., Edna Ruth Kindred, William “Bill” Cochran Whitson, Curtis Whitson, and Mary Rachel Clark.

Left behind to cherish Joe’s memory are his wife of 28 years, Rosanne Whitson; sister, Linda Lou Jones; stepchildren, Lecia Guill (Philip), Dawn Dixon (Mark), Shane Aaron (Jennifer), Marty Aaron, and Julie Davis (Scott), as well as numerous nieces, nephews, step-grandchildren, step-great-grandchildren, and extended family members and friends.

Joe’s family will receive friends from 2pm until 4pm on Monday March 13, 2023 at the Cleveland Chapel of Companion Funeral Home with a Celebration of Life Service to follow at 4pm.