Diane Ross Whipple's Obituary
Diane Ross Whipple passed away on April 28, 2024 at the age of 81 in Germantown, Tennessee. She was born on June 9, 1942, the second of two daughters, to Gilbert Warden and Hazel Bibb Ross in Big Rock, Tennessee. Four years later her family moved to Paris, TN, which became her family home. She graduated from E.W. Grove High School and came to Memphis State University to finish her education. She enjoyed a very active campus and academic life, serving in many leadership capacities including president of her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. Upon completion of her degree from Memphis State, she taught mathematics at East High School for five years.
The enduring highlight of her life occurred in her first year of teaching when she met Dan Whipple who was her lifelong love. Their marriage on June 12, 1965, and her joining Second Presbyterian Church commenced a new phase of unexpected turns of her life that strengthened her faith in Jesus as her faithful Savior and sovereign Lord. God blessed their marriage with three wonderful children, David Ross Whipple (Beth), Anne Whipple Turner (Gavin), and James (Jim) Stephen Whipple (Jennifer) and five grandchildren: Tate Elizabeth Whipple, Mary Ross Whipple, Andrew (Drew) Whipple Turner, Emily Anne Turner, and James Cobb Whipple. Diane loved being "Mom" and later "Grandmother." Their children and grandchildren, special gifts from God, brought a lifetime of joy to Dan and Diane. Diane loved studying theology and later in life, she penned a book for her family, Memorial Stones, recording experiences for her children and generations to come with the underlying theme that God is faithful and sovereign and that in Him there is no shadow of turning.
In addition to her immediate family she is survived by her sister, Gayle Ross Pirtle (Jim), and numerous nephews, nieces, and cousins. Visitation will be held Tuesday, May 7, from 5:00 – 7:00 pm followed by a memorial service Wednesday, May 8, at 9:00 am, all to be held at Memorial Park Funeral Home. The family requests that any memorials be made to Grace Evangelical Church or Ligonier Ministries of Sanford, Florida, founded by the late R.C. Sproul.
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