George Whitt talks about his life and living in Ignacio in 2010 while having breakfast at the Patio Restaurant, a ritual he honored almost every day. He died Friday at the age of 78.
George Whitt talks about his life and living in Ignacio in 2010 while having breakfast at the Patio Restaurant, a ritual he honored almost every day. He died Friday at the age of 78.JERRY McBRIDE/Durango Herald

Known as a plain-speaking fair man, former Ignacio Mayor George Thomas Whitt died Friday, Jan. 24, 2014, at his home. He was 78.

“He was greatly respected by a lot of people,” his friend and former Ignacio Town Board member Ray Larsen said. “He was basically a great guy to fill the job.”

Whitt came to the board when it was in disarray. In November 2005, Town Manager Miguel Sandoval had just been fired, a number of town employees had quit their jobs, and three Town Board members had resigned, leaving it without a quorum.

Whitt was appointed to the board on Nov. 2, 2005, going on to win the seat of mayor in April 2006.

“It’s my intention to bring peace and harmony back,” Whitt told The Durango Herald at the time. “We’ll get faith back in the town by the actions we take.”

One of the first actions taken was rehiring Balty Quintana, who had retired, as town manager. Quintana had his own take on Whitt when interviewed in 2010.

“He really cares about this community,” Quintana said. “He’s just constantly introducing himself to people … He speaks on behalf of the whole community, not just one group.”

The other thing Whitt brought to the Town Board was learned during his military service, including well-run meetings and a get-to-the point style.

“He was a professional leader,” Larsen said.

In addition to his mayoral term of six years, Whitt served on the Los Pinos Fire Protection Board since its inception in 1985, just shy of 28 years.

Whitt was born to Leon and Edna Whitt on Dec. 2, 1935, in Ardmore, Tenn. He grew up in Nashville, Tenn., as one of six children.

He went to college on a football scholarship before enlisting in the Air Force. Whitt became a radar specialist, flying in an Airborne Early Warning and Control plane for 105 missions around Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

He and his wife, Laura, moved to her family home in Ignacio in 1976.

Among his many jobs in life were mobile-home mover, road construction, truck driver, contract mail carrier and hog farmer.

While serving as mayor, Whitt had a sign made to reflect phrases from the U.S. Constitution that illustrated his leadership belief: “We the people. For the common good.”

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An earlier version of this story contained errors about George Whitt’s military service. Also, his wife lives in Ignacio.

Memorial service

A memorial service for George Thomas Whitt will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014, at the Ignacio Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room, 115 Ute St.
On Feb. 23, 1973, he married Laura Trease in Tucson, Ariz.
Mr. Whitt is survived by his wife of almost 41 years, Laura Whitt, of Ignacio; daughters Justa Whitt of Ignacio and Georganna Wooten of Tucson; son, George Whitt Jr., of Farmington; sisters Veda Malone of Nashville, Tenn., and Phyllis Coble of Naples, Fla.; one grandson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be sent to the Los Pinos Fire Protection District, 275 Browning Ave., Ignacio, CO 81137.