Robert Michael “Mike” Whitmore, 75, currently of Sheffield, AL, formally of Franklin, Tennessee, passed away March 27, 2024, after a three-year fight with cancer.
He was born October 3,1948, in Indio, California, the son of William S. and Virginia Cummings Whitmore of Nashville, TN.
His wife, Babette Wolke, survives him along with his children: Mrs. Kimberly (Chill) Hill, Mr. Brian (Dywonne) Whitmore, Mrs. Sarah (Bryan) Joyce; and his 5 grandchildren, Tristan, William, Christopher, Jasper, and Juniper Rose; one brother, William Patrick “Pat” Whitmore of Dallas, TX and many dear nieces, nephews, and cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents and grandparents and a brother, Richard Timothy “Tim” Whitmore.
Mike was a 1966 graduate of Two Rivers High School in Donelson, TN where he played on the varsity football team. He graduated in 1971 from the United State Air Force Academy and became a fighter pilot for the United States Air Force. Mike’s career in aviation spanned over 55 years. His father, a former U. S. Marine Corps fighter pilot taught him to fly, and Mike made his solo flight from the grass field of Cornelia Fort Airport in Nashville, TN at 15 years of age.
Throughout his long career, Mike flew fighters at Luke AFB, Craig AFB, Holoman AFB and OV-10s in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand during the Southeast Asian Conflict. He took delight in taking part and flying to Germany in Crested Cap where he made 6 different ocean crossings as well as in the Air Force’s “Red Flag”. He was nominated three times for Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun) at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mike flew many more fighter, corporate, and private jets and airplanes including the Citabria stunt plane. But his favorite aircraft was the F-4 Phantom.
After serving in the U.S. Air Force, Mike went on to fly as a pilot with Continental Airlines, as a fighter pilot with the U. S. Air Force Reserves in the F105, and the Albuquerque, New Mexico Air National Guard in the A-7. Later, in commercial aviation, he flew Lear Jets for Averitt Aviation, various aircraft for Chapter Two Aviation in Franklin, TN, and was Chief Pilot of CSOKI Aviation of Maryville, TN on the Challenger 300, Beech Premier, Pilatus PC 12 and TBM.
As a successful entrepreneur, Mike created and sold several businesses.
It is with great sadness that his family releases him to “the high untrespassed sanctity of space to put out his hand and touch the face of God.”
High Flight by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
There will be no services at this time.
