Willie Hayne Whitehead went to be with the Lord on October 16, 2025.  He was born on June 6, 1930, in Houston County, near Lovelady, Texas. He is survived by his daughter, Lynda Whitehead Crofford and husband, Rick; his son, Craig Whitehead and wife, Kim; his son, Bruce Whitehead and wife, Courtney; nine grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; and numerous other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Melva Whitehead; his parents, Ettie and Bennie Whitehead; his brother Buddy Whitehead; and his grandson, Will Hayne Whitehead.

He grew up in extremely poor circumstances as the son of a sharecropper. After graduating from high school in 1947, he moved to Houston and lived with relatives while working a variety of jobs. In 1949, he began work as a bookkeeper at the South Texas Commercial National Bank in Houston.  That same year, he met Melva Yates at a Brush Arbor revival in Pegoda, Texas. After he finally worked up the courage to ask her out, they went on their first date to the Battleship Texas. They immediately fell in love and were married on July 7, 1951. With Melva's steadfast support, he advanced rapidly in banking, becoming a loan officer, then President of a small town bank, and eventually overseeing the operations of multiple banks in southeast Texas.  He also invested in numerous businesses over the years. Through it all, his primary focus was always his family and his faith in Jesus.

Willie and Melva were married for 73 years. She went to heaven on September 18, 2024. He missed her every day, but did his very best to have a smile, a story, and a positive attitude. However, his grief grew heavier day by day, and his health deteriorated. The Lord blessed him with many dreams and visions about Melva. There is no doubt that Willie and his wonderful wife, Melva, are holding hands, looking down from heaven, and cheering us all on to finish well.

A memorial service will be held at the Cochran Funeral Home Chapel at 212 Old Groveton Rd, Onalaska, Texas, on Saturday, October 25, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., with Pastor Roger Hammonds officiating. A visitation will be held before the service at 1:00 p.m. Following the service, interment will take place at the Carlisle Community Cemetery in Carlisle, Texas.