Theodore C. Whitbeck

Formerly of Moline, Illinois
Theodore C. ?Ted? Whitbeck, 81, of Sierra Vista, Arizona, formerly of Moline, Illinois, died Thursday, October 11, 2012, in Sierra Vista.
Services are 10:00 a.m. Thursday in the Celebration of Life Chapel at Trimble Funeral and Cremation Center, Moline, with The Reverend Randy Heckman officiating. Burial is in Rose Lawn Memorial Estates, Moline, where the Moline American Legion Post #246 will present military honors. Visitation is 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Union Congregational Church, Moline.
Theodore Charles Whitbeck was born December 4, 1930, in East Moline, Illinois, the son of Roy and Ruby P. (Marks) Whitbeck. He served in the United States Navy during the Korean conflict. He married Marillyn Engvall on June 17, 1950, in Moline.
Ted worked at International Harvester as a design engineer for 30 years, retiring in 1985.
At age 16, he was scouted by the St. Louis Cardinals. He played for the 1st Congregational softball team for many years, until 1966, when he gave up softball and picked up golf, winning the first golf tournament he ever entered. He was also an avid bowler.
He was a current member of Sierra Vista United Methodist Church, and a former member of First Congregational Church and Union Congregational Church, both in Moline. He was a member of the Moline American Legion Post #246, the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, past-president of the Moline Conservation Club, trustee for the Colona Board, and Police Commissioner and Chairman of the Police Committee for Colona.
Ted is survived by his wife, Marillyn of Sierra Vista; children, Christi (Kevin) Steiner of Sierra Vista, Mark (Kathy) Whitbeck of Moline, and Laura Patino of Muscatine, Iowa; grandchildren, Joel (Shelly) Vroman of Colona, Vanessa (Brad) Lager of Moline, Anthony Patino of Omaha, Nebraska, Emmanda (Adam) Merrill of Rancho San Diego, California, and Victoria Umstattd of Moline; and a great-grandson, Devon Vroman. He was preceded in death by three sisters, Doris Olson, Vera Coleman, and Dorothy Pofliet, and a son-in-law, Fernando Patino on April 17, 2012.
The family invites you to share stories and condolences and light a candle in Fred?s memory at www.TrimbleFuneralHomes.com.