Roll Call Tribute

Joe Day Whitaker 

May 11, 1941 - October 4, 2025 

Memorial services for Joe Day Whitaker were held on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Bowers Funeral Home in Teague, Texas.

Joseph Day Whitaker was born on Mother’s Day, May 11, 1941, at Davidson Hospital in Teague, Texas. Joe was welcomed by his parents, I.W. “Day” Whitaker and Wenonah Walker “Honey” Whitaker of Donie, Texas.

Joe grew up in Donie and attended school there through the 8th grade before attending Teague High School and graduated with the class of 1959. While attending Texas A&M University, he married his high school sweetheart Andrea Alderman in 1961 before graduating with a degree in Industrial Technology as a part of the Class of 1963. After graduation, Joe and Andrea returned to Teague where Joe worked for his dad’s company I.W. Whitaker and Sons Construction alongside his brother Wayne for 22 years.

Joe’s true passion, however, was golf. It was at Texas A&M where Joe first learned to play golf, a sport that he came to love and excelled in as an exceptional player and teacher. Golf would later become his new profession for 25 years starting in 1989 when he became a Class A PGA Professional. Joe was also awarded “Teacher of the Year” from the East Texas Chapter of the PGA of America in 1994.

In addition to golf, Joe always had a mind for engineering, a benevolent spirit, and a love for the land - especially the land in Freestone County, Texas where he spent a lot of time with family in his later years of life. Joe was an avid reader and a lover of music. He will be deeply missed.

He was preceded in death by his parents, I.W. “Day” Whitaker and Wenonah Walker “Honey” Whitaker; his grandparents, J.L.R. and Roxie Hall Whitaker and Leonard and Ida Walker; his son-in-law, Greg Williams; and in-laws, Jim and Margaret Alderman.

He is survived by his wife, Andrea Whitaker; daughter, Traci Ann Williams; son, Wade Walker Whitaker and wife Kari Whitaker; grandson, Jordan Williams and wife Sydney Williams; granddaughter, Hannah Day Williams and partner Chandler Bates; brother, Wayne Whitaker and wife Karen Whitaker; and brother-in-law, Roger Alderman and wife Margie Alderman; among other nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.