Daniel Elliott Whitlock Jr.

2/25/1945 — 2/21/2025

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Feb. 21, 2025, just four days shy of his 80th birthday, Daniel Elliott Whitlock Jr. quietly slipped away to join his beloved Suzanne in the stars.

Daniel was born Feb. 25, 1945, to D. Elliott Whitlock Sr. and Mildred (Granderson) Whitlock in Tampa, Fla.

Shortly after his birth, the family moved to the San Bernardino Valley in California and remained there throughout his high school years. During this time Dan was joined by a sister, Dorrie, and a brother Ed.

As a youngster, but still the oldest, Dan took it upon himself to teach his sister the important things in life, like how to tuck and roll after a parachute drop which they simulated by jumping off the roof of the family home. His buns were just a little warmer that afternoon.

Dan attended Redlands High School graduating in 1963. Always an excellent student, and with an interest in politics, Dan was the Commissioner of Projects for Student Government and belonged to the World Affairs Club. He made lifelong friends while there.

Dan spent a year at Occidental College (his father’s alma mater) in Los Angeles. He quickly decided it wasn’t the place for him. The next fall he joined his childhood friends and classmates Carol and David at Berkeley (“Berzerkeley,” as he affectionately called it).

Upon graduation in 1967 with a bachelor’s in political science, Dan became eligible for the draft. Rather than suffer a fate, or branch of service chosen for him, he decided to enlist in the U.S. Navy. Dan proudly served as an officer in the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps for over 25 years. First on active duty stationed aboard various vessels (most notably the USS Oriskany) during the war in Vietnam. After serving his required time, he spent the next 20 years participating in the Navy Reserves, retiring with the rank of lieutenant commander. He was an active member of the VFW, at times serving in various roles of leadership.

Once his active duty was complete, Dan returned to the San Francisco Bay area and took a position with the VA Hospital and attended law school in the evenings. In the spring of 1974 while visiting friends David and Carol Schwartz in Idaho, Dan attended a small dinner party where he was introduced to Suzanne Hickman, who would soon become his wife.

Dan and Suzanne were wed Aug. 10, 1974, in a beautiful backyard ceremony on Normal Hill. Three days later they had a U-Haul packed and were headed to their new life in San Francisco. Our dad always said that the best gift he received that day, besides his beautiful wife, was Richard Nixon’s resignation the day before.

When Dan married Suzanne, he not only became a husband, but a father to 8-year-old Jeane. He was an amazing dad; something she’d always wanted. He taught her board games, took her to the ocean to play in the surf and sand (almost every day after work), taught her the love of reading and the tolerance of long division, and held her to account with his prophetic “he who” sayings. “He who spills the milk, cleans it up.” In 1976 while waiting for the birth of his son, dad formally adopted Jeannie, making her his first child. That solidified his love and commitment to her, easing her worries of being an outsider to the Whitlock family. He was her Daniel Striped Tiger.

1976 was a big year for all of us. Our parents bought, renovated and sold their first home. We moved inland to Modesto, Calif. Jeannie officially became a Whitlock. And in the early morning hours of Halloween a bouncing baby boy named Wayne joined us to complete our little family.

Dan finished up his schooling in Stockton, Calif., a 40-mile drive from Modesto, at Humphrey’s School of Law. Since he was so busy studying and working, it was hard to get much time with him, so Jeannie often hopped on the back of his BMW motorcycle and went to class with him. She loved it, even if it was a little boring at times. It made her feel special that he thought she was mature enough to go and sit through classes with him.

Shortly after Dan passed the bar, he and his sister Dorrie (who had also recently become an attorney), opened Whitlock and Whitlock Family Law. They were very close, so this was the perfect arrangement. They practiced together for several years until Dorrie decided to take her practice in a different direction, moving her office into her home while Dan continued his solo practice.

During a stint when he lost his law clerk and was having a hard time finding a new one, Suzanne stepped in and filled the role. This is when she decided that she liked the work and was good at it, so why not go back to school and get her own degree? Once Suzanne finished school, they bought an older home in central Modesto, and converted it into offices, renting some out and putting Whitlock and Whitlock back in business. They practiced together for 10 years; before she took a position with the county.

For many years Dan was the chair of the Family Law section of the Stanislaus County bar association. During his tenure he combined his love of writing with his wit and sense of humor, in a monthly publication for members titled “Split Sheets.” While his love writing combined humor along with information, other times he used his pen in attempts to enlighten. To this end he delighted in using his pen to spar or skewer his fellow citizens over their political writings in the opinion pages of the local papers.

Dan and Suzanne retired in 2009 and moved to Lewiston. They had bought a house across the street from Jeannie a few years earlier. Once they got here, they completely renovated it and made it into a lovely home. They wanted to spend their golden years near family, and they had two great-grandsons that they wanted to actively participate in their rearing. Grandpa Dan was a fun grandpa. He loved to play, take walks, read. They spent endless hours in the “man cave” dancing to grandpa’s records on his hi-fi turntable. “Dancing Queen” by Abba was a favorite.

As an avid and prolific reader, Dan did all he could to instill that love in children. When Dan’s youngest grandson Joshua was in first and second grade at Webster Elementary School in Mrs. Baerlocher’s class, he began reading with her students. Even after Joshua moved on in grade levels, Dad continued to read with her students for several years.

Always an advocate for children, he also volunteered with the Nez Perce County CASA program (Court Appointed Special Advocates). Appointed by judges, CASA provides trained community volunteers to represent the best interests and voices of children who are victims of abuse and neglect.

He and Suzanne had a love of travel. They took their granddaughter Beth on a Mediterranean cruise for her high school graduation, toured a few European countries and had visiting every state on their bucket list. Unfortunately, they missed that goal by a handful.

Dan had several interests and hobbies, two that he carried through his entire life were scale model building and restoring and riding BMW motorcycles.

He was so prolific in his model building, which mainly consisted of all types of World War II military vehicles and ships, that required custom-made cabinets in which to be displayed.

Starting shortly after he obtained his license at 18, Dan owned several makes of BMW motorcycles and sidecar rigs. He continued riding well into his 70s. On any given Sunday, from spring through fall, he would likely be found riding. BMWs were his bike of choice, but he also had dreamed of owning a Harley. In the mid 90s he fulfilled that dream. One fateful Sunday in 2001 while riding in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, he met with a wayward deer. The bike and the deer did not make it, but thanks to his strong devotion to his riding leathers and a secure helmet, he didn’t walk away, but he survived. His helmet cracked all the way down the middle. A couple of surgeries on broken bones and several months of healing, he was back on a bike and down the road. After his accident he went back to his beloved BMWs. In 2010 he fulfilled a lifelong dream of touring Europe on a bike. He flew over, met a group of riders (none of whom he had ever met), and spent the next 12 days riding across the countryside.

He didn’t only ride, but restored as well. At one point he bought three vintage WWII BMW motorcycles, which his mechanic lovingly referred to as “boat anchors.” He devoted many evenings and weekends to bringing those bikes back to life and in the end, he sold them all to happy customers and made a tidy little profit along the way.

Daniel took pride in his skill and integrity as an attorney and as a respected member of the legal community, however his highest priority was always his family. After retiring he summed up his feelings on balancing work and family life by writing this to his children, “If I had retired as Chief of Naval Operations and if I had finished my legal career as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, but you two thought of me as a stranger, I would consider myself a failure.” He was far from that. We always felt his love and devotion to us. There was never a time he wasn’t right there when we needed him the most.

Daniel is preceded in death by his parents; wife Suzanne who passed on Dec. 19, 2024; sister Dorrie; stepsister Kathlene Lawrenz; and beloved granddaughter Beth Marie Irby.

Survivors include his daughter Jeane Hickman-Church and husband Alex Church of Lewiston; son Wayne Whitlock of Seattle; stepsister Barbara Lynn Whitlock of Highland, Calif.; great-grandsons Joey and Joshua Church; and his brother Edwin and wife Judy of Oregon.

Dan and Suzanne both had their own unique talents and interests. We feel the best way for all to share in those, is to open their home to friends and family.

An open house will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, May, 31, at 302 Eighth Ave., in Lewiston. A light lunch and beverages will be provided. Family flag ceremony and burial will follow, at 4 p.m. at the Genesee Community Cemetery.

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