Obituary: Robert Donald ‘Don’ Whelan, 85, formerly of Howardstown
Robert Donald “Don” Whelan, 85, of Hodgenville, formerly of Howardstown, died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019, at Helmwood Healthcare in Elizabethtown surrounded by his wife and children. He was born April 11, 1934, in Howardstown. He attended St. Ann School and St. Charles High School. After graduating from Bellarmine College with an accounting degree in 1956, he served in the U.S. Army in Korea for two years. After returning home, he worked briefly at the Internal Revenue Service in Louisville before joining a public accounting firm in Elizabethtown. He obtained his CPA license, eventually becoming a partner at the accounting firm of Touche Ross & Company in Elizabethtown, then subsequently establishing his own accounting firm. He was the managing partner of Whelan, Doerr & Company until his retirement. He was a past president of the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce and served as treasurer of the Elizabethtown Industrial Foundation for 33 years. He was a long-time member of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Hodgenville and an ardent supporter of its former school.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Alice Spalding Whelan; one sister, Claire Yarber; and four brothers, Michael Whelan, Guy Whelan, Martin Whelan and James Louis Whelan.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Lois Ann Hughes Whelan; five daughters, Brenda Murphy, Donna (Bill) Ernst, Anita Whelan, Chris Whelan and Laura (Michael) Popp; one son, Joe (JoAnne) Whelan; two sisters, Mary (Dicky) Taylor and Rose (Bobby) Rogers; five brothers, Melvin (Mary Ann) Whelan, Eddie (Sharon) Whelan, Anthony (Debbie) Whelan, Charlie (Martha Ann) Whelan and John (Darleen) Whelan; nine grandchildren, Kelli (David) Laborda, Ryan Murphy, Matthew (Cassie) Ernst, Katie Ernst, Robert Whelan, Drew Whelan, Joey Whelan, Alec Whelan and Lucas Whelan and numerous beloved in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
The funeral was 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Hodgenville with the Rev. Pablo Hernandez officiating. Burial is in the St. Ann Catholic Church Cemetery in Howardstown.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Hodgenville, St. Ann Catholic Church in Howardstown or Hosparus Health of Central Kentucky.
The Bennett-Bertram Funeral Home in Hodgenville was in charge of arrangements.
-30-
