Fresno funeral home chain magnate B. Whitehurst dies

Fresno businessman William S. "Bill" Whitehurst, who built an empire of funeral homes throughout California, died late Monday night. He was 89.

Mr. Whitehurst died of congestive heart failure at St. Agnes Medical Center in Fresno, said Don Cardell, a longtime friend and business associate.

"He passed away peacefully surrounded by his family," Cardell said.

Mr. Whitehurst was the patriarch of a family that included his wife, a local theater star, and a son who was mayor of Fresno. He was active in a variety of causes.

Born in Sacramento, Mr. Whitehurst was a teenager when he began working for his father's funeral home in Los Banos. Over the years, the family acquired funeral chapels in such places as Dos Palos and Firebaugh before Mr. Whitehurst opened shop in Fresno in 1958.

Worked up to the end

About 20 years ago, Mr. Whitehurst sold his 33 funeral chapels throughout California, Cardell said, but he still worked until his death as a consultant at the Whitehurst, Sullivan, Burns & Blair Funeral Home in central Fresno.

His wife is Ann T. Sullivan Whitehurst, a singer and actress who has starred in many local theater productions. His son, Daniel Whitehurst, served on the Fresno City Council before being elected mayor in 1977 and re-elected four years later. His celebrated comeback bid in the 2000 mayoral election was cut short by Alan Autry.

Ann Sullivan Whitehurst said Tuesday that her husband was always busy, "but he didn't go around telling people what he did."

"He did what he thought needed to be done," she said.

Served in WWII

After finishing high school in Los Banos, Mr. Whitehurst became an Army infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II.

He returned to the Valley and became active in politics, serving on the city councils of Los Banos and Dos Palos. In the 1960s, he was co-chair of local campaigns for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, and for California Gov. Edmund G. Brown.

In 1963, Gov. Brown appointed Mr. Whitehurst to the California Highway Commission. During his time on the commission, he spearheaded a drive to make Highway 152 safer between Highway 99 and Los Banos, his wife said.

In 1970 and 1971, he was appointed chairman of the Fresno County Cancer Crusade. At the time, Mr. Whitehurst also was on the St. Agnes advisory board and was active in the Boy Scouts, the Knights of Columbus, Fresno Arts Center and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

One of his favorite charities was donating to Mother Theresa in Calcutta, his wife said.

Mr. Whitehurst and his wife also are known for selling 80 acres of prime San Joaquin River property for use as an outdoor education center.

The Fresno County Office of Education bought Scout Island in 2000 for $1.3 million -- less than half its appraised value, said former county schools Superintendent Pete Mehas.

"This is his legacy to Fresno's children," Mehas said Tuesday, noting that the outdoor center has programs for students of all ages, as well as teachers.

In selling the property, Mr. Whitehurst wanted to make sure all youngsters -- rich and poor and those with special needs -- would have access to the special activities.

"He was a jewel of a man," Mehas said. "His passing is a great loss to the community."

Recitation of the rosary will be at 7 p.m. Friday at the Shrine of St. Therese in Fresno. A Mass and Christian burial will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the church.