Obituary: Robert Hoover Whitmore, of Southampton, Dies at 77

Died: September 17, 2015

Service: Saturday, Oct. 31 starting at 3:30 p.m. at the Brockett Funeral Home on 203 Hampton Road in Southampton.

Obituary: Robert Hoover Whitmore, a summer and weekend resident of Southampton for almost 45 years, died peacefully in his sleep at his Southampton residence on the morning of Sept. 17 of heart failure after a long illness. He was 77.

Whitmore, a resident of New York City, was born in Hinton, West Virginia to Frances Hoover and Robert M. Whitmore on July 8, 1938, and was raised in Lynchburg, Virginia.

He graduated from Lynchburg College with letters in swimming and soccer in 1959.

He was also a proud veteran of the US Navy from 1959 to 1961.

Whitmore held a masters degree from the University of Virginia and a doctorate from Columbia that he received in 1978.

He was a superlative college teacher at Queens College, Stony Brook University and Montclair State College, and a brilliant athlete and mentor.

One of his many proud achievements was as one of the founders and long-time leader of the New York Ramblers Soccer Club, the first gay-oriented soccer team in the country, which now boasts over 150 members.

The team nurtured similar teams in most other large U.S. cities and was instrumental in forming the international Federation of Gay/Lesbian Football Association, which has thousands of proud participants worldwide with teams on all continents.

Whitmore and his partner of 38 years, Alan Koral, were married in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Stamford, CT on Feb. 19, 2011.

In addition to his husband, Whitmore is survived by his sister, Sherry Whitmore of Punta Gorda, FL, nephew, Steven Johnson of Lynchburg (sons Tyler and Brandon), nephew Robert Brooks of Madison Heights, VA (Annette) and family, in-laws, Marianne and Robert B. Smythe of Chevy Chase, MD, their daughters Katherine Newman (Robert) and Sarah Lane (Mark) and their respective children, and a several friends.

There will be a Memorial Gathering at the Brockett Funeral Home on October 31, to be followed by a Halloween party in the Whitmore’s memory at the home on Herrick Road.

Costumes are encouraged at both events.

Those who know Whitmore know how much he loved a party, especially a costume party.

Guest are asked to confirm their attendance to Alan Koral at [email protected] so that the caterer can have a good number.

Another memorial and reception will take place in New York City on November 9.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers friends and family consider making a gift in Bob’s honor to the New York Ramblers, www.newyorkramblers.org or by check to Ramblers Soccer New York, via mail to PO Box 230330, New York, New York 10023 or at the memorial.