Gordon "Porky" B Whitehead

Porky Whitehead, 83, entered into eternal rest on Saturday morning December 14, 2019 at Tidewell Hospice House of Lakewood Ranch, FL. He lost his courageous 3 year battle with mucosal melanoma of the sinuses.

Porky was born on February 25, 1936 to Allen B. and Florence E. (Nesmith) Whitehead in Winnebago, MN. He moved from Amboy, MN to Delavan, MN in 1937 where he grew up and graduated from Delavan High School in 1954.

On June 26, 1955, Porky married his High School Sweetheart, Peggyann Ensrud at the Delavan United Methodist Church. They had three children Dave, Michelle and Jeff all of whom were born in Blue Earth, MN They lived in Delavan and Blue Earth, MN before moving to Sarasota, FL in 1969 and never leaving. His beloved wife of 59 years passed away on March 28, 2015.

Porky was an auto mechanic who owned/operated service stations for 31 years. His career began in Delavan, MN in the Fall of 1957 with the opening of Porky's Downtown Standard. Subsequent stations included Porky's Downtown Standard in Blue Earth, MN, Porky's Amoco in Venice, FL and Porky's Chevron in Nokomis, FL. In Between, he worked as a TBA (Tires, Batteries and Accessories) Salesman for CD Brown Inc. in Sarasota, FL. As gas stations evolved into minute markets, he decided that was not for him. Beginning in 1988, he worked as an auto mechanic for Chrysler Plymouth of Venice, Venice Tires and Tire Kingdom retiring in 2008.

As much as he loved cars, he had a passion for sports and yard work as well. Recently, he had shared that being on his riding lawn tractor freed him from all of his worries and pains and gave him a purpose late in life. He loved playing and watching baseball, basketball and football, usually watching and listening to more than one game at a time! He played for the Delavan Minnesota Baseball Team that won the State Amateur league championship in the Class A finals in 1953 (He still could fit into his Baseball Jersey). For many years, he and his wife bowled for Great Western House of Meats sponsored bowling league on Monday nights. He enjoyed working his nightly Crossword puzzle from the newspaper. Later in life, he realized he could eloquently express himself in writing.

Porky is survived by three children; David (Lela) of Myakka City, FL; Michelle (Richard) of Sarasota, FL; Jeffrey (Tanya) of Bradenton, FL; his brother Wayne (Beverly) of Brainerd, MN; his sister Donna Frank of Vergas, MN; 4 grandchildren (Leslie, Casey, Austin and Anna); 3 great grandchildren (Tucker, Madilynn and Marceline).

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife and a brother. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or to the American Cancer Society.

Please join us for lunch immediately following services at Der Dutchman @ 3713 Bahia Vista St - Compliments of Porky.