Arthur Milton “Mickey” Whiting, 87, passed away at his home in Phoenix on Thursday, June 2, 2016. A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 o’clock tonight (June 8) at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Arcadia Ward building, 4225 N. 56th St. in Phoenix. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 9, preceded by a visitation from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Arcadia Ward building. Mickey was born on July 3, 1928, in St. Johns to Arthur Clemon and Armina (Gibbons) Whiting. He had five siblings, three of whom preceded him in death, Irene, David and Gary. After the death of his mother, Armina, his father, Arthur, remarried his stepmother, Betty Lepper. In 1947, Mickey married his high school sweetheart, Lorana Randall, and they were blessed with four children. He is survived by his sweet eternal companion; his sister, Annette Farr; his brother, Norman C. Whiting; and his five children. He loved growing up in Northern Arizona, first in St. Johns and then later in Holbrook, graduating from Holbrook High School, where he was a star athlete in football and basketball, along with finishing in the top of his class scholastically. He attended Brigham Young University briefly, before transferring to Arizona State University. Truly he and Lorana have been lifelong Sun Devils through and through, with football and basketball season tickets for many, many years, along with providing a scholarship program to ASU in these later years. He is also survived by four children and one foster son, R. Bruce Whiting (Gail), Gordon K. Whiting (Nannette), Janis Whiting Hall (Gordon), M. Barry Whiting (Robyn) and foster son Henry Redhouse (Lisa). In 1952, Mickey was there at the very beginning when the Whiting Brothers (his dad and three brothers) formed Kaibab Lumber Company in Fredonia. He and his cousin and business partner, E. Jay Whiting, also joined in with the Whiting Brothers and the extended Whiting family as they built Whiting Bros. Service Stations along Route 66 and throughout Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, California, Utah and Nevada. Kaibab Lumber Co. diversified and evolved into Kaibab Industries, Inc. and under his leadership, the company grew to be one of the top 10 privately held companies in Arizona with 1,200 employees and operations in eight western states, as well as Mexico. Fortunately, he learned to fly airplanes early on in his life, and spent many hours flying throughout the United States and Mexico. Whether he was the pilot or someone else, he loved being in an airplane. During his life, he served in many leadership positions and on the boards of directors of many companies and industry organizations. Particularly he was honored to have served as president of both Western Wood Products Association and National Forest Products Association. Mickey’s greatest achievement and happiness were found with his best friend and dear wife, Lorana, and their five children, 20 grandchildren and 46 great-grandchildren. He loved and knew each one of them well. He was an active member of the LDS church and served throughout his life in numerous church callings. Messinger Funeral Home of Scottsdale was in charge of the arrangements.
