Charlotte Hull Whiting

Charlotte Lou Hull Whiting passed away on Tuesday, November 27, 2018, after a courageous battle with myasthenia gravis. She was 86 and resided in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for the past 44 years. Charlotte was known for her intellect, warmth and generosity, her stamina and perseverance, her empathy, imagination, and open-mindedness. She once sought to capture her life in the language she so loved, New Testament Greek: she lived “allêlôn”, which is not “all alone” but in reciprocity with others. Always ready to extend a helping hand, she opened her heart and her home to strangers from near and far, mentored women and children in her community, and baked bread for new neighbors - always seeking to bridge gaps and knit people together. Charlotte was a beloved teacher. She first taught elementary students and later, when it became possible for women to be ordained, seminary students and members of her congregations. She studied at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, where she had attended summer missionary conferences during high school. After graduating in 1954 with a B.S. in Education, she became the Weekday Christian Education Counselor at Westminster United Presbyterian Church in Des Moines, Iowa. It was here that she met D. Douglas Whiting, a seminarian intern in the Church. They married in 1955 and settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She began teaching in public elementary schools in Penn Township and later in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Upper St. Clair, a suburb of Pittsburgh. In 1976, she became the Director of Children’s Work for Highland Presbyterian Church in Lancaster. Charlotte enrolled in Lancaster Theological Seminary in 1976 and received her Master of Divinity degree, summa cum laude, in 1979. In 1981 she returned to the Seminary as instructor in Greek. Not every aspiring preacher is as keen to learn ancient languages as Charlotte was, but a struggling student once said, “Charlotte loved us into learning Greek.” Even after retiring she made translation and interpretation of scriptures a daily practice until the end of her life. Charlotte also served as Dean of Students at the Seminary from 1987 to 1989. In 2017 she was honored with the Seminary’s Distinguished Alumna Award. The United Church of Christ at St. Peter's UCC ordained the Reverend Charlotte Whiting in 1981. She was an inspiring preacher and devoted pastor of Faith United Church of Christ in Littlestown, PA (1981-1986) and Associate Pastor of Faith United Church of Christ in York, PA (1994-1997). As a longtime member of Salem United Church of Christ in Lancaster, Charlotte initiated monthly peace vigils. Her last, in September, was an art exhibit centered around three themes about which she cared deeply: “Love of Neighbor, of Children, and of Creation.” She wrote, “The months of work appealing for art and the days of exhibiting it are my works of love, given with hope of broadening our sense of community and being more neighborly.” She also sent bibles and customized reading guides to each child in the congregation on the occasion of their confirmation. She demonstrated her commitment to serving others on many fronts: she tutored young students in Lancaster City schools, volunteered at the Lancaster Shelter for Abused Women, and was recognized for her exceptional service at Contact, a telephone helpline. She was steadfast in her commitment to lasting peace - in the Middle East and throughout the world. She sponsored Palestinian children and exchanged letters with them. She always supported the rights of women, Native Americans and others, was passionate about gun control and protecting the environment. But she was not someone who sought to impose her views on others. One of her favorite stories was about giving a ride to the polls to an elderly neighbor whose vote would negate her own. Still, she insisted on casting her vote; it was one of her last acts, an absentee ballot from her hospital bed. Charlotte was President of the Lancaster County Council of Churches in the late 1980’s, when the Council took important steps towards becoming more open and inclusive. She has also been a member of Boards of Directors of the United Church of Christ: Board for World Ministries, Office of Communication, The Coordinating Center for Women, and the Biennial Assembly for Women as well as a variety of boards of The United Church of Christ Penn Central Conference. Charlotte was a creator who also supported other creators. She formed a writers group and took great pleasure both in crafting stories to share and in hearing the stories of others. But she also enjoyed her solitude. She made a daily practice of singing, writing in her journal, walking in almost any weather, and playing the piano. Her piano practice was resumed with great enthusiasm after her treatment for myasthenia gravis took effect, and it could last for hours, enabling her to play a Bach sarabande in church this past August. She always had some projects going: quilting, pickling peach chutney, hand binding books, embroidering or knitting for children and grandchildren or the church bazaar. Charlotte was born in Butler, Pennsylvania in 1932 to Marjorie and Stuart B. Hull on the 100th anniversary of the birth of her great grandmother Charlotte Harrington Nash. She shared with her older brother Richard B. Hull a love of nature and music, and she established a music scholarship fund in his memory at Lancaster Seminary. Charlotte is survived by her husband, Douglas; three daughters: Jennifer Whiting (Tom Berry) of Pittsburgh, PA, Harriet Whiting (John Irwin) of New York, NY, and Emily Whiting (Neil Goodman) of Chevy Chase, MD; grandchildren: Caroline, Charlotte and Nathan Goodman, Pilot Irwin, and was looking forward to the addition of Ethan and Antonio (soon to be Berry). A service of thanksgiving for Charlotte’s life will be held at Salem United Church of Christ, 2312 Marietta Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603 at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 15, 2018. The family will greet friends at the church 10:00 a.m. and at a luncheon following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to The Child Sponsorship Program of UCC Global Ministries, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115 and Lancaster Seminary Scholarship Funds, 555 West James, Lancaster, PA 17603.