James Herbert Whatley

June 23, 1931 - September 20, 2020

James Herbert Whatley, 89, went home to be with our Lord on September 20, 2020 at Flower’s Hospital. Herbert was a recent resident of Marianna, Florida. He retired as a minister with the Alabama West-Florida Methodist Conference, having served numerous churches in South Alabama. He had a wonderful gift of making people feel special and sharing about his God. Herbert was preceded in death by his parents, Thelmer and Melba Whatley; brothers, William and Harry Whatley; one sister, Enid Benton; and one great grand-child, Colton Weeks. Herbert is survived by his wife of 64 years, Ruth Whatley; his daughters, Gwen Whatley, Juanita Arnold and husband, Zack, Donna Dennis and husband, Dwight; son, James (Jimmy) Whatley; grandson, Aaron Arnold and wife, Stacey; granddaughter, Jessa Weeks; six great-grandchildren, Dustin Arnold, Emily Arnold, Julianna Arnold, Gianna Arnold, Leland Arnold, and Adalynn Ruth Kaye Arnold, all of Marianna, Florida. Graveside funeral service will be 10am Saturday, September 26, 2020 in Ward Wilson Memory Hill Cemetery (2390 Hartford Hwy, Dothan, AL) with James and Sikes Funeral Home of Marianna directing. In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to YUGO Ministries (reaching Mexico with the Gospel, P.O. Box 1355 Chula Vista, CA 91912) with a designation to honor the life and ministry of Herbert Whatley. Expressions of sympathy may be made online at