Walter "Wes" Whatley '01 August 22, 2024 3:21 PM updated: August 22, 2024 5:20 PM
Walter Wesley "Wes" Whatley
October 5, 1978 - August 17, 2024
Walter Wesley Whatley (Wes) was born on October 5, 1978 in Corpus Christi, Texas to Walter Wilmer Whatley Jr. and Lisa Dawn Whatley.
He grew up in Annaville with his parents and brother, James and graduated from Tuloso Midway High School in 1997. Wes played and excelled at every sport he tried his hand in - starting with t-ball, and then baseball, basketball, football, and powerlifting, for which he won 2nd in the state. Wes was annoyingly good at absolutely everything he tried and was usually (but not all the time) right. He was insanely smart and majored in Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University, where he was also a tighthead prop for Old Maroon Rugby. He was active in Aggies for Christ and served as a leader on multiple mission trips to Australia.
Wes never met a stranger, and we often joked that we could go halfway around the world and he would Still see someone he knew. After college, he went to work for UOP in Chicago and traveled around the world doing refinery startups - 30 different assignments in 19 countries. He collected many friends and treasures along the way. When he got tired of being on the road, he moved to Houston. While in the process of looking for a house, his real estate agent set him up on a blind date with a vegetarian orchestra teacher from New Jersey, The rest is history. Wes and Cat got married June 30, 2007. They welcomed 4 beautiful children into their always loud, crazy, and love filled home: Eli in 2008, Lori in 2010, Liam in 2013 and Lottie in 2017. Wes received his EMBA from Texas A&M in May of 2013. Wes was very active in his church, serving as a small group leader, youth leader, and any other capacity that was needed. He was Texan through and through and loved hunting and being outside. Always larger than life with the biggest smile and biggest hugs. He looked intimidating, but was a big old teddy bear.
He loved his family fiercely and with an intensity that many can only dream of. He was the very best man, the very best husband, and the very best father. Wes is survived by his wife, Catherine Whatley, children: Elijah Pearman Whatley, Lorena Elizabeth Whatley, Charlotte Dawn Whatley, and William Wesley Whatley, mother, Lisa Dawn Whatley, father, Walter Wilmer Whatley Jr, brother and sister in law James and Mary Whatley and their children, Anabeth, Jacob, and Hope, honorary daughter / cousin, Emily Brinks, and many beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 24, 2024 at 4:00pm at Northside Christian Church, 20250 Kuykendahl Rd, Spring, Texas 77379.
Please wear blue (our favorite color). Dress casually, please. Suits and ties were not his cup of tea.
In lieu of flowers the family would love for donations to be made in Wes's honor to:
Old Maroon Rugby Club https://oldmaroonrugby.com/scholarships/
or: The Water Project-Liam's Wells https://thewaterproject.org/community/profile/liams-wells-campaign