Roger Whitney

My sincere sympathies to each and every one of the Whitney Family and friends.
I have known Roger Leighton Whitney for over 54 years.
We were friends and next door neighbors at an early age, sitting and watching the cars, motorcycles, buses, bikes, and yes, girls, go by while discussing our dreams and fancies for when we became independent.
Roger (“Bacon”) was curious and adventurous, often conveniently not quite hearing his mother’s words of concern, in her attempt to prevent him from playing and riding his bicycle outside with us on the heavily trafficked road where we lived. There were many days and evenings racing and modifying electric model cars, playing monopoly and riding bicycles around and around and around in “Greenidge Terrace” when we were old enough, all great memories. What about Roger’s nickname “Bacon” ? Many would have addressed him using this moniker. Roger and I discussed how things worked, were made and put together etc. Roger Bacon, the English Franciscan philosopher and proponent of experimental science was the topic one of our discussions. Roger was quite captivated with the story of the Franciscan philosopher, and I said to him “Man you just like he doah, wanting to pick-down and know bout everything” He said “Yea yuh rite”. I said “OK Sir Bacon” and that was it. The nickname stuck and he liked it.
We grew up, I left home, and subsequently, the years and experiences left their marks on us all. Roger endured quite a number of vehicle mishaps that were not kind to his body and mind. Years later, I visited him at 4 Square Factory and our discussions showed me that his path had not been easy. His commitment, pride and love for and to his family was quite evident. The name “Ro-Di” of his landscaping and construction company speaks for itself. Further visits and interactions with him over the years showed the accumulating damage from those mishaps that continued to wear down the logical deep thinker I knew from before. Accidents and crashes can, and often do create, not just physical visible injuries, but injuries of the mind and brain as well. We humans need to be more cognizant of, deal with, and treat these injuries appropriately. This type of trauma must be treated as seriously as we regard heart, lung, kidney and other major organ injuries.
The 24/7 suffering of pain and stress, the regularly occurring nightmare dreams of accidents0 you endured are now all gone Rog. Rest pain and stress free, Sir Bacon… rest.