Cristeen Whitaker

SIKESTON - Martha Cristeen "Chris" Whitaker, 76, died at 10 a.m. July 1, 2003, at Missouri Delta Medical Center.

Born Sept. 28, 1926, in Canalou, daughter of the late Thomas Allen and Lenna Laverta Henson Waters, she was a restaurant cook for Navada's and the Palace Cafe. She was a member of Miner Baptist Church and the Golden Circle Sunday school class.

On Sept. 13, 1953, in Morehouse, she married Francis Marion Whitaker who preceded her in death on June 17, 1980.

Survivors include: two sons and one daughter-in-law, Alan Marc Whitaker of Sikeston and Clay and Maribeth Whitaker of East Prairie; one daughter and son-in-law, Kay and Glennon Johnson of Charleston; two sisters, Eloise Hastings of Richmond, Texas, and Ethyl Jaynne Brown of Cape Girardeau; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; and special friends, Ann and George St. Onge and Lorama Carter of Sikeston.

Three brothers and three sisters also preceded her in death.

Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Blanchard Funeral Chapel, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday. The Rev. Mitch Jackson, pastor of Miner Baptist Church and the Rev. Dean Wallace, pastor of the Wyatt Baptist Church, will officiate.

Burial will follow in Garden of Memories Cemetery in Sikeston.

Pallbearers will be: Ed Jolley, Jim Yancy, George St. Onge, David Sloan, Howard Harper and Frank Tatum.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Golden Circle Sunday school class.

Memorial contributions may be sent to:

Missouri Delta Medical Center Renal Dialysis Unit 1008 N. Main St. Sikeston, MO 63801