Willhoite, Fred H. Jr.

This obituary contains corrected and additional information from the obituary that ran Sept. 12, 2013.

FRED H. WILLHOITE Jr.

Fred Hale Willhoite, 77, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died of multiple myeloma on Sept. 11, 2013, at his home in Deer Ridge/The Meth-Wick Community. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church, Cedar Rapids.

Fred was born July 30, 1936, in Oklahoma City, Okla., the son of Frederick Willhoite and Odetta (Sherrill) Willhoite. Growing up, Fred lived in numerous locations, mainly in Oklahoma, as his father pursued careers as a Baptist minister and a U.S. Air Force chaplain. Fred attended high school in Germany and Oklahoma, graduating from Classen High School in Oklahoma City in 1953 and from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1957. He attended graduate school at Duke University on a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship and was awarded a Ph.D. in political science in 1961. His college teaching career began in 1960 at the College of Wooster in Ohio; continued at Florida Presbyterian (now Eckerd) College in St. Petersburg, Fla., from 1961 to 1964; and at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge from 1964 to 1968.

In 1968, he joined the faculty of Coe College in Cedar Rapids as chairman of the political science department and continued to teach at Coe until retiring in 1999. He published two books, Beyond Nihilism: Albert Camus's Contribution to Political Thought (1968) and Power and Governments: An Introduction to Politics (1986), as well as articles in professional journals. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the Midwest and American Political Science Associations and First Presbyterian Church, Cedar Rapids. In later years, he especially enjoyed the Tuesday Evening Supper Club.

Among Fred's passions, in addition to his family, were reading, classical music, travel in North America and Europe, playing golf and watching golf and baseball.

Fred is survived by his beloved wife of 55 years, Lois Heaton Willhoite; their three daughters, Katherine Willhoite (Rodd Zolkos), Chicago, Laura Stebbins (John), Shoreline, Wash. and Dr. Ann McKinstry (Mark), Cedar Rapids; five grandchildren, Claire, Joseph and Grace McKinstry of Cedar Rapids and Gus and Jane Stebbins of Shoreline, Wash.; a stepgranddaughter, Ellen Zolkos (Jonny) Szczesniak of Philadelphia, Pa.; a stepgreat-granddaughter, Josie Szczesniak of Philadelphia; a sister, Karel (Bert) Clemens of Eagle Nest, N.M.; and four nephews.

A brother, Dr. David Willhoite of San Antonio, Texas, preceded him in death.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be donated to Coe College for a political science honors fund or the Community Health Free Clinic in Cedar Rapids, (319) 363-0416 or www.communityhfc.org, where he was an enthusiastic volunteer until his health declined.

The family thanks the employees of St. Luke's Hospice and Dr. Daniel A. Trautman for their services.

Online condolences may be left at the guest book at www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.

Published in The Gazette Sept. 13, 2013.