Randall G. Whitfield, 79, of Sulphur, La., passed away at 6:55 a.m. on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, in a local hospital.
Mr. Whitfield was born Oct. 18, 1943, in Jasper, Ala., and raised in that area of Alabama. He served his country in the U.S. Coast Guard for 21 years and one day, retiring as an E-7 BMC in 1981. Throughout his career, he was stationed in various locations, including Panama City, Fla., Galveston, Houston, and Port Arthur, Texas, before moving to Sulphur in 1979. Following his retirement from the Coast Guard, he worked for the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office in the ID division and several years with the U.S. Marshall Service. For over forty years, Mr. Whitfield enjoyed raising, breeding and showing Californian rabbits, attending shows across the country. He was a life member of the Californian Rabbit Specialty Club, the Texas Rabbit Breeders Association and the American Rabbit Breeders Association. He had a lifelong love of the farm life and later in life started his own farm, buying and selling cows. Mr. Whitfield also enjoyed fishing, loved visiting with new friends and spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Mr. Whitfield is survived by his wife of 56 years, Judy Whitfield; son, Steven Whitfield (Michelle), all of Sulphur; grandchildren, Raeleigh Freeman (Greg) of Kountze, Texas, and Andi Whitfield of Sulphur; great-grandchildren, Myles and Westyn Freeman; sister-at-heart and travel companion, Carrol Hooks, of Harrisburg, N.C.; and an extended rabbit family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dewey and Kathleen Whitfield; and brother, Donnis Dewey Whitfield.
A private celebration of life will be held at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery. His cremation was entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home.
The family would like to express a special word of thanks to the staff at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital ICU and to anyone who had a special part in his care throughout the past year.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory can be made to the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org.
Words of comfort to the family may be left at www.johnsonfuneralhome.net.