Lees-McRae Trustee Emerita Barbara Whitton passes away
Longtime Board of Trustees member Barbara Whitton passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 23 at the age of 88 at her home in Fort Myers, Florida.
Whitton was born January 29, 1937, in Gastonia, North Carolina. She moved with her first husband to Los Angeles, California in the early 1960s before returning to North Carolina in 1964. In the early 1970s, she began a career as a court reporter and eventually built a major court reporting service in Charlotte, North Carolina from the ground up. She was named the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce’s Woman Business Owner of the Year in 1987. She eventually sold the business and retired, dividing her time between Florida and the High Country.
Whitton married Jim Whitton in 2010, eight years after the passing of her second husband. In retirement, she remained active in both personal and philanthropic pursuits, including multiple terms on the Lees-McRae Board of Trustees. During her tenure on the board, Whitton co-chaired a $30 million capital campaign focused on enhancing academic and student success initiatives. When the campaign was announced, Whitton said, “We must not lose sight that our students are our future. The value they receive from Lees-McRae is not available at other schools anywhere in North Carolina.”
The campaign made possible many projects that improved campus facilities, including the construction of the May School of Natural and Health Sciences and the Lauritsen Technical Theatre and Design Studio, and the renovations of the Shelton Learning Commons, Hayes Auditorium, and two science laboratories. It also provided for the growth of endowed student scholarships and additions to the athletics transportation fleet.
Whitton was also involved in the search committee that hired Lee King as the college’s 16th president. According to King, “When I was a candidate for the presidency, the search committee wouldn't approve my hire until I made a trip to Florida to meet with her and Ed Hood to get their blessings and approval. I've always felt an extra deep sense of purpose here knowing that Barbara and Ed gave me their personal endorsement, something I have never taken for granted.”
Even after finishing her tenure as a trustee in 2022, Whitton remained invested in the college’s wellbeing and progress. The on-campus meeting space Miller Commons recognizes her powerful legacy of generosity, hard work, and commitment to excellence.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, Jan. 9, at The Chapel at the Village Church at Shell Point in Fort Myers, Florida. In lieu of flowers, Whitton’s family requests that donations may be made to Hospice Care at Shell Point, Habitat for Humanity, or Eddy House of Reno, Nevada.
