Joel Whittaker II

Joel R. Whittaker II, 50, of Salamanca, New York, died Monday, July 7, 2014 at the Buffalo General Hospital, Buffalo, New York.

Born on September 1, 1963 in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina he was the son of Joel Whittaker, Tuscon, Arizona and Lucy Ray, of Salamanca, New York.

Mr. Whittaker had been a union bricklayer working on several projects in Ft. Drum, New York. He had also been employed as a truck driver for Valley Chemical in Nitro, West Virginia.

He was an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation of Indians and the Bear Clan. He was a master fisherman and an avid outdoorsman.

Surviving besides his parents are: his stepfather, Merle Watt Sr., Steamburg, New York; 4 daughters, Meredith (Jay) Karnas, Charleston, West Virginia, Samantha Williams, Poca, West Virginia, Jessica (John) Dunn, Poca, West Virginia, Jaclyn Whittaker, Poca, West Virginia; a son, Ralph (Christina) Whittaker, Poca, West Virginia; seven grandchildren; 2 sisters, Melinda (Kevin) Palmer, Salamanca, New York, Sydney (Barrington) Johnson, Steamburg, New York; a brother, Merle (Alison Reitnauer) Watt Jr., Jimersontown, New York; several nieces and nephews.

Friends may call at the O’Rourke & O’Rourke Inc. Funeral Home, 25 River Street, Salamanca, New York on Tuesday, July 8, 2014 from 4 – 7 p.m. and Wednesday from 2 – 4 p.m. & 7 – 9 p.m.

Funeral services will be held in the funeral home on Thursday morning, July 10, 2014 at 10 a.m. with Pastor Winfield Bowen, of the Red House Chapel, officiating.

Burial will be in Hillside Haven Cemetery, Steamburg, New York.

E-condolences can be sent to john @ orourke-orourke.com or posted to facebook.com/onofh.