Lasting Memories

Meredith Whitaker
1927-Feb. 17, 2011
San Luis Obispo, California

Meredith Duncan Whitaker passed away Feb. 17, 2011, at her home in San Luis Obispo. She was 83. The cause is believed to have been complications from a stroke.

Born in Palo Alto, Calif., in August 1927, she was the only child of Edith Lang Duncan and Bryan Duncan, her Stanford professor father, who died when she was four. Meredith grew up on the Stanford campus, attending Stanford Elementary, Jordan Jr. and Palo Alto Sr. High Schools ('45) and Stanford University, graduating in 1949.

July 3, 1948, she married Stanford civil engineering student Ralph Whitaker, Jr. in the Stanford Chapel. They established their first home locally, moving to Sacramento after graduation in 1949 and returning to the Peninsula in 1952. Meredith lived in Palo Alto for over 60 years and retired first to San Diego, then San Luis Obispo to stay close to her youngest granddaughters.

Early in the 1950s she joined the Preschool Family Cooperative Nursery School with her children and was mentored by education pioneer Besse Bolton. Meredith returned to early childhood education late in life, working for the Palo Alto School District until retirement.

Throughout, Meredith was committed to and active on issues of human rights, social justice, the environment and peace. The Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship, American Association of University Women (AAUW), Beyond War, and the Sierra Club have been her partners in this work.

Meredith is survived by her husband, Ralph, of 62 years; daughter, Janice Mancuso of Portland, Ore.; sons, David Whitaker of San Jose, Calif., and Alan Whitaker of Mountain View, Calif.; and daughter, Nancy Harper. Also son-in-law, Dan Harper; granddaughters, Lauren and Kelsey Harper of San Luis Obispo. And Alan's daughter, granddaughter, Melinda Whitaker and great-grandson Tristan Ralston of Houston, Texas.

Projects and activities with granddaughters Lauren and Kelsey Harper have been a major focus for Meredith, from baking, sewing and exploring nature, to an educational trip Washington D.C. The family would like to thank the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship of San Luis Obispo, Hospice Partners of the Central Coast and professional caregiver Samantha Klein for their care and support.

A favorite quote of Meredith's:

"You must be the change you want to see in the world." -- Mahatma Ghandi.