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Lee Whittington

COMMERCE -- Lee Burnett Whittington, 78, of Commerce died Monday in Dallas. There will be a memorial service at 4 p.m. Saturday in the First Baptist Church parlor.

He was born April 5, 1921 in Baton Rouge, La. to Lee Woodard Whittington and Meda Wood. He moved to Commerce in 1992.

Mr. Whittington was a veteran captain of the United States Marine Corps and served during World War II at Pearl Harbor. He was a rifle instructor at Quantico, Va. and received citations for marksmanship with both rifle and pistol. He played trombone in the Marine Corps Band.

Mr. Whittington was leader of his own Dixieland jazz band in Baton Rouge. He won the Drum Major contest at the 1939 World's Fair in New York where he was voted world champion.

He was a retired welder and was a member of Millwight Union Local No. 720 in Baton Rouge.

Surviving are his wife, Martha Whittington; a son, Zane Whittington; two brothers, Emil Whittington and Doyle Whittington; a sister, Ramona Whittington; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by two sons, Forrest and Eric Whittington, and one daughter, Inger Lee Weber.

Pemberton Funeral Home of Commerce is in charge of arrangements.