John C. Whinnery, Sr. of Aiken, SC, formerly of Amarillo, Texas, died March 9, 2003 of Leukemia; he was 89 years of age. He was the son of the late Robert C. Whinnery and Marion Pack Whinnery. Mr. Whinnery was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa and attended Iowa University, Iowa City on a scholarship in three sports, he then transferred to Northeastern University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, where he graduated in 1937 with a BS degree in social studies and physical education, later receiving his Masters Degree from West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas with additional graduate work at Texas Tech, Lubbock, Texas. Mr. Whinnery held the Oklahoma Collegiate record in the discus for over 20 years and was placed in the Hall of Fame in Sports at Fort Dodge, Iowa in 1962 and placed in the Texas Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame, Amarillo, Texas in 2000. His great love was coaching football, track and wrestling at the high school level and he retired from this in 1957 moving on to West Texas A&M University in Canyon., Texas as an Assistant Professor of Physical Education where he developed the first full time Intramural Program for the college. He was the founder and sponsor of the Beta Eta Chapter of the National Physical Education Fraternity, Phi Epsilon Kappa, retiring from WTAMU in 1974. During his retirement years, Mr. Whinnery kept active with his love of golf, fishing and his beloved track and field and in 1999, at the age of 85, competed in the Georgia Games, winning three gold medals in the discus, shot-put and javelin. Survivors include one daughter Jeanne Whinnery Quattlebaum and son-in-law Ronnie Quattlebaum of Aiken, SC, his devoted friend, Mrs. Bobbie Blackmon of Aiken, SC, three sons, Randall H. Whinnery of Denison, Texas, John C. Whinnery, Jr. of South Fork, Colorado and Dr. James E. Whinnery of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Visitation for Mr. Whinnery will be held at George Funeral Homes, 211 Park Avenue, Aiken, SC on Tuesday, March 11, 2003 from 6:30-8:00 pm and burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to St. Joseph Hospice, 2260 Wrightsboro Road, Augusta, Georgia 30904 or the American Cancer Society.