William Nathaniel Whitney, 62, of Morgantown, passed away Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. A memorial service in celebration of his life will be held at a later date.
Bill was born Sept. 29, 1957, in Bethesda, Md., son of John Adair Whitney and the late Linda Leary Whitney. He was a graduate of Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., where he played tennis and squash, served as quarterback for the football team, was a duplicate bridge champion and was named a National Merit Scholar. He then followed in his father’s footsteps and attended Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., where he, again, excelled academically, graduating magna cum laude with honors in physics and math and being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. After Williams, Bill (or Whit as many knew him) worked for a number of high tech companies in Boston’s Route 128 corridor before accepting a technical leadership position in California at Connect, Inc. (later Digital River), in Silicon Valley, where he served as vice president, E-business services and chief application architect. After facilitating two IPOs and two successful acquisitions, Bill decided to change course and invest in women in science through teaching, and went back to school earning a master’s in teaching from the University of San Francisco graduating with a 4.0. He joined the faculty of Notre Dame High School of San Jose where he taught AP physics, chemistry, engineering and mathematics before moving back to the East Coast. Bill continued to teach in Maryland, at Notre Dame Prep in Baltimore, where he initiated the renowned Physics Photo Contest. Several of his students earned top prizes in the national contest. He was deeply proud of their success in seeing and documenting the intersubjectivity of art and science. He served as a lecturer at Johns Hopkins University’s Engineering Innovation program. Bill loved learning and seized an opportunity at Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y., where he earned an additional master’s in physics, again graduating with a 4.0. One of his more recent projects was serving as a Fellow at the Norton Lab at Marshall University, Huntington, where he designed, built, and operated microscopy systems for biological imaging of DNA substrates.
Though Bill was a brilliant and successful physicist and engineer, his family was the center and joy of his life. He and his wife, Dr. Rondalyn Varney Whitney, were married in Boston in 1989 and created a richly textured life together with their two sons, Zac and Alex. Bill encouraged Rondalyn in earning her doctorate, and reveled in her growth as a prominent academic, author, and speaker in the field of occupational therapy. He was deeply invested in the lives of his two sons and overflowing with pride in their lives and the men they have become. Following Zac’s graduation, Bill and Rondalyn were delighted to welcome Zac’s wife, Kimmy, into the family. Bill was a great enthusiast for family gatherings. Bill was a loyal and dedicated friend, and will always be remembered for his deep interest in others, his sly wit, and the twinkle in his eye when he smiled.
Bill is survived by his beloved family — his wife, Rondalyn Varney Whitney; son and daughter-in-law Zac Whitney and Kimmy Sanders, of Tokyo, Japan; and son Alex Whitney, of Morgantown. He is also survived by his father, John Adair Whitney, of Bethesda, Md.; his sisters, Jane Whitney McGreevy (Brian), of Charleston, S.C., and Anne Whitney Marculewicz (Stefan), of Severna Park, Md.; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Bill believed in the exquisite wonderment of science. As an organ donor, he continues to enrich the lives of others through his contribution. He would hope that the gift of his life’s example is one of living with unrelenting integrity and full out joy. He is no doubt sitting with Einstein, in infinite pursuit of wondering, spread across the stars.
In lieu of flowers, please lend your support to the memorial fund established at Williams College in Bill’s honor to support his love of physics through education. Gifts can be made to the office of College Relations 75 Park St. Williamstown MA, 01267, in memory of Bill Whitney class of ’79.
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www.hastingsfuneralhome.com
