John Arthur Whitson

John Arthur Whitson, a 56-year San Pedro resident, died Friday at Kaiser Hospital in Harbor City after a courageous fight against Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). He was 78 and born in Madison, South Dakota to George Elliot and Charlotte Elizabeth (Ellis) Whitson. He earned his 1955 B.S. in Biology from Hamline University, Saint Paul, Minnesota and his 1958 M.A. from CSU Long Beach. John's love of photography began at an early age. From 1956 until his retirement in 1992, he taught science and math at Dana Junior High School, and then science and photography at San Pedro High School, where his award winning photography program was widely recognized.

John loved to travel and was fortunate enough to visit all 50 states and all seven continents. He was particularly fond of nature and Yosemite was probably his favorite destination. He rode dirt bikes for many years, exploring ghost towns, old mines and wide stretches of desert and forest. He was a prodigious reader and seldom missed a weekly trip to the library. He loved cats and his hobbies included photography, cooking, gardening, golfing, swimming, watching Duke basketball, making radio controlled boats and planes, creating pewter chess sets and figurines, and flying his Cessna plane. He was a man who loved to stay busy.

John was preceded in death by his first wife of 28 years, Bonnie Joy (Danielson), his parents, brother William and sister Georganne. John is survived by his second wife of 29 years, Linda Meroe (Garrett); his daughter Kimberly Giancola (Michael) of the Pacific Palisades; son Mark Whitson (Natalie) of Eugene, Oregon; step-daughter, Wendy Vincent (Colin) of Tel Aviv, Israel; and grandchildren Jennifer, Amy, Nicolas, and Saskia.

A grave-side gathering will be held on Friday, March 30, at noon at Green Hills Memorial Park, Rancho Palos Verdes, California.


Funeral Home:
Green Hills Mortuary and Memorial Chapel
27501 S.Western Ave.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
US 90275