Paul Morrison Whiting

Obituary from Sheridan Press, March 14, 2026

Paul Morrison Whiting was born August 9, 1937 at Columbia Hospital, Washington, D.C. to Helen (Perley) and Henry J. Whiting. Paul’s family moved often: Bethesda, Maryland; Baltimore where Ann was born; Milwaukee, Wisconsin where Mary was born; Edison Park, Illinois; St. Anthony Park, St. Paul, Minnesota.

When Paul was 15 the family boarded the Queen Elizabeth to live in Geneva, Switzerland where his father developed the Lutheran World Relief Service. Paul attended the International School of Geneva with classmates from 65 countries. He made life-long friends from India, South Africa, Italy, and Peru. He learned French on the streets which enabled him to get a Masters of Teaching French from Northwestern University without undergraduate French studies.

In the middle of his senior year: his family returned to Montclair, New Jersey where he graduated from high school in 1955. Paul then went to St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota to graduate with a Phi Beta Kappa in Physics and Math. Paul met Dorothy Knutson at a summer work camp at a canoe base in northern Minnesota. They married August 18, 1962 in Minneapolis.

Paul taught math at a Dearborn, Michigan high school and physics at St. Olaf before turning to a 14 year career of teaching French at Lake Forest High School, Illinois. Their children, Maureen and Allan, were born in Lake Bluff, Illinois.

Paul spent the summers of 1967 and 1969 taking students to Brittany, France. Paul developed the language lab into a video communications department before the family moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where Paul worked for cable companies for five years, eventually doing video work for the Lutheran Synod in Madison.

The bishops asked Paul to go to Mexico City to videotape Lutheran visits to AMEXTRA a Mexican Christian non-profit helping poor communities to develop. Later Dorothy and Paul worked in Cuernava producing Spanish and English videos of their AMEXTRA work.

On their return, they settled in Billings Montana, where Dorothy died in 1997. Paul developed his black and white photo with exhibits at the Montana State University School of Architecture, Museum of the Beartooths in Columbus, Babcock Theater, Good Earth Market, Yellowstone Art Museum. He published some photographs in “as the way opens.”

Paul married Betty Waddell October 2, 1999 and with Shan Cousrouf, they co-managed the Flatiron Gallery in Billings for three years. Paul joined the Quakers and was a peace advocate. Betty and Paul moved to Sheridan Wyoming in 2024.

Paul died at his home on March 11, 2026, leaving his sisters Ann Pratt (Neal) and Mary Peterson (Mark); his children, Maureen (Binu Chacko) and Allan (Mandy Davis) and four grandsons: Aarian, Jackson, Armaan, and Wesley; his wife, Betty, and her daughters, Arin Waddell (John Heyneman) and Shanna Shelby and six grandchildren: Quinn, Arlee, Aria, Dawson, Bae-John and Halia.

Wyoming Friends Meeting, Sheridan, June 19, 2026

Paul and Betty began attending Sheridan Quaker Meetings regularly, joining our small (seven strong) group. In 2025 Paul transferred his membership to Wyoming Friends Meeting. Paul’s influence on the Sheridan Quaker group is remembered with great fondness. Paul embodied Quaker values of integrity and simplicity and had a passion for peace. Because he wanted to help, Paul freely shared his Pendle Hill pamphlets, books, and AMEXTRA videos at Meetings, which promoted deep discussions and enhanced our Quaker knowledge. Paul's sense of humor was evident often: “Simplicity” he once said, “is not very simple.”Paul reminded each of us to pay attention and nurture our inner guidance – not just with his words – but by the way he lived. As any good teacher, Paul lit a spark in each of us and his influence will live on.

Paul was living with dementia and other health challenges during this time, yet he touched our lives with humility, grace, humor, and Light. The members of Sheridan Quakers happily provided brief periods of respite for Betty and enjoyed spending one-on-one time with Paul in their home. During these visits, Paul shared his many beautiful photographs that depict a play of light and shadow. Paul spoke about his memories of his life: family, college, global travels, and his early and sustained interest in Quaker belief. The gifts Paul brought in the short time he was with us spiritually strengthened us.

A life celebration with Paul’s family and friends following the Quaker tradition was held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall on March 15, 2026. A Memorial Meeting with Betty Whiting and Wyoming Friends was held during a Meeting for Worship at the Wyoming Friends Meeting Quarterly gathering in Sheridan on June 7, 2026.