Ruth Whitney

Ruth Alice Kelly Whitney, 86, a native of Morgan City and resident of Little Caillou died suddenly Wednesday, July 9, 2014, in Houma. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until funeral time Monday at St. Joseph Catholic Church. A Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the church, with burial in St. Elie Cemetery. She is survived by her sisters, Lenora Guidry, of Lafayette, and Carolyn Hebert, of Casper, Wyoming; sons, David N. Whitney and wife, Janet, of Pelham, Alabama, Stephen D. Whitney Jr. and wife, Brenda, of Gray, and Martin J. Whitney, of Little Rock, Arkansas; Judge Daniel E. Whitney and wife, June, of Spring, Texas, and Lee A. Whitney and wife, Rep. Lenar Whitney, of Houma; daughters, Ruth Whitney Hassell and husband, Tom, of Gray, Christine Whitney King and husband, Ed, of Houma, and Trudy M. Whitney, of North Little Rock, Arkansas; grandchildren, Leslie Walk, Whitney Voisin, Jennifer L. Bland, Liz Robichaux, Lisa Cunningham, Sheryl Waddell, Dr. Scott M. Whitney, Mathew Whitney, Cory King, Danielle Townsend, Ryan Marmande, Celeste Valuzzo. Stephen Hassell, Sara Hassell and Lia Allen; and 15 great-grandchildren. Ruth was born May 5, 1928 in Morgan City and was raised in Weeks Island and Houma. She was the daughter of the late Edward E. Kelly and Gertrude M. Jolet Kelly of Little Caillou. She was married to the late Stephen D. Whitney Sr. and is preceded in death by her grandson, Tre Marmande. An accomplished artist, Ruth painted reproductions, scenes of south Louisiana life and religious themes. She was a devout Catholic and parishioner of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Chauvin. She was a devoted sister, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.