Jon J. Whattoff

Jon J. Whattoff, 76, passed away in the comfort of his home on Friday, November 17, 2017, after a courageous battle with cancer. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to The Hospice of East Texas for the attentive and loving care Jon received in his final weeks. A celebration of Jon’s life will be held on Saturday, November 25, 2017 at 10:00 AM at Stewart Family Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. David O. Dykes and Lee Poe officiating under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Jon was preceded in death by his parents, Murl Whattoff and Leiala Blackburn; his son, Kurt Whattoff; and his half-brother, Terry Blackburn. Jon is survived by his loving family including his wife, Brenda Whattoff; his son, Kevin Whattoff and DeEsta Beets, who was like a daughter to him. Jon welcomed the daughters and son who came into his life when he married Brenda: Brian Carey, Amy Carey and Emily Dauphin. He also leaves behind his grandchildren, Ethan Dauphin, Bam and Cati Heredia and Aidan, Kayleigh and Miley Beets. Jon will also be dearly missed by his Iowa family including step-mother, Wanda Whattoff; his sister, Jenny and husband Randy Klinefelter; his sister, Sandy and husband Ross Anderson, and numerous nieces and nephews. Jon was born and raised in Ames, Iowa, and he graduated from Oklahoma Military Academy. By the age of eleven he was serving ice cream at the family owned Dairy King. Always an entrepreneur, his pursuits ranged from real estate investing to establishing a number of businesses including owning restaurants in Iowa, Arizona and Illinois. As the owner of Merchant Payment Systems, Jon used his passion for business and his intelligence for numbers to build a successful small business serving customers who considered Jon a trusted partner and friend. His love of business led to a natural hobby researching and learning more about the business world. Jon’s intent was to always be a good steward of God’s money. In his professional life and personal life, Jon generously shared his time, energy, passion, and enthusiasm by providing caring and encouraging mentorship. His passion extended to serving God, and he treasured being baptized in the Jordan River. Attending Green Acres Baptist Church for many years, he was a member of the Lanny Bridges class. Working at the Welcome Booth and helping in VIP program with toddlers brought him much joy. Having only been married to Brenda for eight years, he loved to tell the story of how they met on Match.com. Brenda was dearly loved by Jon and their short time together was filled with travel, spending time with family and friends, and being active members of a small group Bible study. Brenda and Jon traveled the world visiting places such as Alaska, Israel and the Mediterranean. Along with their families, they took yearly trips to their two favorite places in Lake Tahoe and Cabo, Mexico. Jon’s family affectionately referred to him as “Jonny Cabo” and “Jonny Tahoe.” The family wishes to thank the following doctors for their compassionate care and guidance during this difficult time: Dr. Murtha Basile, Dr. Stacey Holder and Dr. Shailish Gupta. Visitation is scheduled from 5:00 - 7:00 PM on Friday, November 24, 2017 at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway, in Tyler. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to The Hospice of East Texas Foundation, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, TX 75702 or The East Texas Food Bank, 3201 Robertson Rd., Tyler, TX 75701. 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have remained faithful.”

Jon J. Whattoff

February 16, 1941 - November 17, 2017