Larry Richard Whitaker

Larry Richard Whitaker, of Lincoln, CA, at the age of 80 passed away in his home on Oct 19, 2021, after a battle with cancer. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and brother. He was born on July 9, 1941, to Virgil L. Whitaker and Lucille Mae (Fischer) Whitaker in Peoria, Il. Though out his life, Larry was a brilliant engineer, astute businessman, and devoted public servant.

After growing up in Peoria in a modest upbringing, he served four years in the United States Airforce where his love for electronics began. After his honorable discharge in 1963, he attended Texas Tech University where he graduated with honors. After graduation he was employed by Hewlett Packard in Palo Alto, CA, while also studying for a master’s degree in electrical engineering and raising his young daughter as a single father. After graduating from Stanford, he became Director of Engineering at Sierra Electronics. He remarried, and had a son Clayton, who was born in Sept 1969.

This was the era of the entrepreneur and startup companies. Slightly before Apple was established, he was able to acquire a line of credit and became founder, chief Engineer, and CEO of Halcyon Communications, Inc in California, a division of Torotel of Kansas City. He was successful in placing Halcyon and its parent company Torotel on the American Stock Exchange in 1981. Halcyon was a telecommunication test equipment company. Here he met many lifetime friends and inspired the career of many others. He was at the forefront in devising and utilizing sophisticated software processes for financial control, just in time inventory, and quality assurance testing of the final product.

On August 17, 1973, he met the love of his life, Nancy Symmes, a NASA scientist. The two married on April 6, 1974, in a ceremony in the back yard of their home. Larry and Nancy have enjoyed 48 years of love, adventure, and family. He loved to fly his airplanes and explore the country. They moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Cool in 1990 and then to Lincoln, CA, Sun City Lincoln Hills in 2003.

During his time in Lincoln, he served on the Transition board for the Sun City Homeowners Association, as President of the Lincoln Rotary Club (2006-2007). During that time, the Lincoln Club was awarded the Club of Excellence in District 5180. He was a founding member on the board of Neighborhood Watch. He was one of the main contributors to the Fiscal Sustainability Committee for the city of Lincoln, writing the material for the General Fund. He was also on the Fiscal Investment and Oversight board for the City of Lincoln as well as the Treasurer of the Friends of the Lincoln Library. In his spare time, he developed and maintained many websites for public and nonprofit entities at no cost, including the City of Lincoln, Friends of the Lincoln Library (FOLL), Neighborhood Watch, and numerous websites for Rotary clubs in District 5180 and 5190. Of all his accomplishments, he was most proud of leading the Rotary Club of Cameron Park as project business manager to vaccinate 83,000 children in the Russia Far East (Primorsky Krai).

Larry is survived by his wife Nancy, two children Deborah Houseman (Lance), and Clayton Whitaker (Stephanie) and his granddaughters, Gabrielle Mazon, and Dalila Whitaker. He is predeceased by his parents Virgil L Whitaker (Sr) and Lucille M. Fischer Whitaker, his brother Rex Whitaker, and his Sister Sharon Whitaker Paul. He will be deeply missed by so many people that he touched throughout his life. He will be laid to rest at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon with his fellow veterans.