Robert Paul Conner Whittier

Dr. Robert Paul Conner Whittier, 81, of Tallahassee, passed into the arms of the Lord Sunday, February 5, 2017, at Capital Regional Medical Center. He was born on October 14, 1935 in Vero Beach, FL to Vernon Lee and Cornelia Conner Whittier, the second of four children. Growing up, Bob had a desire to practice medicine, and after graduating from Florida State University with bachelor’s degrees in math and chemistry, he went on to earn a medical degree from the University of Florida and served his residency in Otolaryngology at the University of South Florida. Although he received his MD from UF, he was an avid FSU fan and Booster and enjoyed tailgating and using his season football tickets to cheer on his beloved ‘Noles.

While in medical school, Bob met and married the love of his life – Martha (Marty) House O’Shaughnessy, a young widowed nurse - and raised her two children, Maura Elizabeth and Kevin Thomas, as his own. Bob and Marty had two more children, Robert Paul Conner II and Christopher James, who brought additional joys. Later, after practicing in several communities in the state, the Whittiers moved to Tallahassee where Bob practiced as an Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon and Allergist for over 30 years.

Bob never knew a stranger and was widely recognized for his humanitarianism. He served as a missionary and gave free medical care to people on multiple mission trips to such places as Uganda, Peru, Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua.

Bob loved people, jokes, and good deals. He was always the one laughing the loudest in the room, and many times it was at his own jokes. He was a founding member of St. Peter’s Anglican Church and, until his health declined, could be seen and heard in the choir loft. He and Marty participated in many Bible studies and church retreats where they shared their faith and strategies for making a marriage work.

Bob shared with his children a love for the outdoors: boating, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, and even flying. He loved animals, especially dogs and horses, and was rarely seen on the weekends without his dogs. Bob was very proud of his family and heritage and loved to tell stories about his parents and his ancestors and how they made a difference in their communities, punctuating the tales at times with tears, but mainly with laughs. Although he was a gregarious man, his heart was broken twice: first by the death of their son, Kevin, in an automobile accident in December 1984 and then by the death of their daughter, Maura, from a heart attack in January 2011. He was proud of all of his children and instilled in them a love for the Lord, appreciation for nature, and a passion for making learning a life-long endeavor.

He is survived by his wife, Marty; his sons, Paul and Chris, both of Tallahassee; sister, Peggy Berggren, of Vero Beach; brothers, V.L. Whittier (Terrie), of Tallahassee, and Peter Whittier (Paula), of Apopka; granddaughters Allison, Lauren, and Jordan, all of Tallahassee; and cherished nieces and nephews.

There will be a funeral service at St. Peter's Anglican Church on Thursday, February 16, at 3:00 p.m. A reception will follow the service downstairs in the parish hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St Peter's Anglican Church Building Fund, 4784 Thomasville Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32309; the Solar Lights for Africa, SolarAid, Can Mezzanine, 49-51 East Road, London N1 6AH, UK; or a charity of choice.