Bruce Ikard Whittenton
Bruce Ikard Whittenton, 93, of Wichita Falls and formerly of Windthorst, passed away on Wednesday, April 7, 2021.
The family received friends at a visitation from 2 until 2:30 p.m. on Monday, April 12, at Lunn’s. Funeral services followed at 2:30 p.m. in Lunn’s Chapel with Father John Munson officiating. Interment was at the Archer City Cemetery under the direction of Lunn's Colonial Funeral Home.
Bruce was born on Febr. 6, 1928, to Avisa Ikard Whittenton and Cecil Whittenton. Shortly thereafter, Avisa and Bruce moved to Archer County to live with her parents on the Ikard Ranch, southwest of Windthorst. During this time, Avisa completed her teaching certificate, and she and Bruce moved to Wichita Falls where Avisa taught elementary school, and Bruce went to school and graduated from Old High in 1946. He then went to A&M for one year, then to Hardin College in Wichita Falls, completing a degree in agriculture.
Bruce joined the National Guard in the late 50’s and during the Berlin Crisis spent eleven months at Fort Polk, La. After twenty-one years, he retired from National Guard and then spent a year in Army Reserve, retiring as Major.
Upon graduation from college, Bruce went to live with his uncle, B.D. Ikard whose wife had recently died. The two of them batched out on the ranch, and later when B.D. remarried, Bruce lived with them until he met Jean Boychuk, who was teaching in Windthorst. They married on Aug. 2, 1969. After B.D. died, Bruce and Jean moved into B.D’s ranch house, ten miles southwest of Windthorst, where they lived from 1976 until moving into Rolling Meadows.
Bruce’s uncle got him started in the cattle business, and Bruce bought 620 acres of land near Anarene. His uncle gave him some land, and he eventually bought more acreage. He was always very interested and devoted to his cattle and raised polled Herefords, until the cattle buyer said they wanted crossbreds, so then he started crossing Angus with Herefords. Bruce decided to sell out the cattle when he turned 80, and then rented the land out for grazing, not hunting.
Bruce loved to travel each summer and would sign on with tours, often being the only one on the tour. He visited 29 different countries. In October 2019, Bruce and Jean moved into an apartment in Rolling Meadows. He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Jean Whittenton.
For those desiring, memorial contributions may be sent to the Windthorst Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 162, Windthorst, TX 76389 or Hospice of Wichita Falls, 4909 Johnson Road, Wichita Falls, Texas 76310.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.lunnscolonial.com.
