William Leon Whitlatch, Sr.

 William Leon Whitlatch, Sr., 87, retired principal for the Maury County School System and longtime resident of Columbia, died Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at NHC Maury Regional Transitional Care Center. Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 2:00 P.M. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with John Vaughan and Bill Whitlatch officiating. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion, Post 19. The family will visit with friends Thursday from 4:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. at the funeral home. The family suggests memorials to Highland Park Elementary School, 1606 Highland Avenue, Columbia, TN 38401. Condolences may be extended online at www.oakesandnichols.com. Born March 9, 1932, in Henry County, Tennessee, he was the son of the late William Cecil Whitlatch and the late Ila Mae Ferguson Whitlatch. He served in the United States Navy during the Korean War. Mr. Whitlatch earned his Master’s degree in Education from Middle Tennessee State University and began teaching in 1960 at Culleoka Unit School. He was a former Principal at Hampshire Unit School, Mt. Pleasant Elementary, and Highland Park Elementary before retiring in 1994. Mr. Whitlatch enjoyed R.C. airplanes, was a long-time Civitan member and a member of Graymere Church of Christ.  Survivors include his wife, whom he married June 4, 1953, Jewell Samantha Mathis Whitlatch of Columbia, Tennessee; son, William Leon “Bill” (Stephanie) Whitlatch, Jr., of Prosper, Texas; grandchildren, William Leon Whitlatch, III of Bristol, Tennessee; Alexia (Todd) Bolton of Columbia, Tennessee; Brendan Miles Whitlatch of Prosper, Texas; great grandchildren, Zachary Bolton of Columbia, Tennessee; Elizabeth (Levi) Broyles of Dickson, Tennessee; Tabetha Whitlatch of Bristol, Tennessee; Jaxx Whitlatch of Bristol, Tennessee; Tristan Whitlatch of Dickson, Tennessee; two great great grandchildren; sisters, Juanita Luttrull of Pembroke, Kentucky; Bonnie Whitlatch of Pembroke, Kentucky; brother, Tom (Fay) Whitlatch of Hoschton, Georgia; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Aubrey Jerry Whitlatch. Active pallbearers will be Todd Bolton, Mike Bolton, Brendan Whitlatch, William Whitlatch, Zachary Bolton, and Charles Webster.