Obituary of William "Bill" Whitehead

Graveside services for William “Bill” Purl Whitehead of St. Charles, MO, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, January 2, 2025 at Elsberry City Cemetery in Elsberry. Rev. Laura Taylor, pastor of the Elsberry United Methodist Church, will officiate. Mr. Whitehead, 89, passed away Tuesday afternoon, December 31, 2024 surrounded by his family at his home in St. Charles. Born November 22, 1935 in Sarcoxie, MO, he was the son of Lawrence Edwin and Erma Dorcus Grieb Whitehead. He attended Francis Howell High School in St. Charles, MO. Bill served his country in the U.S. Navy from May 16, 1955 until he was honorably discharged on May 15, 1959. He was united in marriage January 1, 1960 at the Elsberry Methodist Church to Anita Ann Calnan. This union was blessed with three children: Lori, Jeff and Gina. Bill was employed as a Locomotive Engineer for the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis for many years, retiring on January 1, 1998. He was a member of the Locomotive Engineers Union in St. Louis. He enjoyed playing ball, skeet shooting and gardening. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Erma Whitehead; three brothers: Jackie Eugene “Gene” Whitehead, Lonnie Dale Whitehead and James Anson and Marcella Whitehead; one sister, Joann and Harold Leffeler; one sister-in-law, Joan (Mrs. Bob) Whitehead. Survivors include his beloved wife of 64 years, Anita Whitehead of St. Charles; their children: Lori Hancock and her husband, James of St. Charles, Jeff Whitehead and his wife, Lisa, of Troy, MO, and Gina Murphy of O’Fallon, MO; six grandchildren: Josh, Rachel, Michael, Emily, Olivia and William; and four great grandchildren. He also leaves one brother, Robert “Bob” Edwin Whitehead of St. Charles; one sister, Erma “Sue” Schlup and her husband, Clyde, of St. Charles; one sister-in-law: Linda Marie Whitehead of St. Charles; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. Memorials may be made to Channel 9 PBS or St. Jude Children’s Hospital in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 South Fifth Street, Elsberry, MO 63343.