Paul Junior Waite
1918 - 2008 (Age 89) 
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Person ID: I9110 | Tree: FunknSmart | Last Modified: 22 Dec 2020
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1922 - 1989 (Age 66)-
Name Paul Junior Waite [1] Born 21 Jun 1918 [1] Gender Male Died 28 Apr 2008 Pittsfield, Pike, Illinois 
[1] Family
Wife Margaret Elizabeth Cresson, b. 25 Feb 1922, Detroit Pike, Illinois , d. 15 Feb 1989, Des Moines, Polk, Iowa, USA (Age 66) Children -
Notes
- Paul J. Waite, 89, of Pittsfield, died early Monday, April 28, 2008, at Blessing Hospital in Quincy.
He was born June 21, 1918, in New Salem, the son of Wesley P. and Edna Bartlett Waite. He married Margaret E. Cresson on June 13, 1943, in Griggsville, and she preceded him in death Feb. 15, 1989. He later married Mildred Cresson Russell on June 2, 1990, in North Carolina, and she survives.
He is also survived by one daughter, Carolyn Waite-Bojarra of Caledon, Ontario; one son, Lawrence W. (wife, Courtnay) Waite of Onalaska, Wis.; one stepson, Robert Cresson of North Carolina; five grandchildren, Megan Bojarra of London, Ontario and Kirsten Bojarra of Hamilton, Ontario, Colleen (husband, Ryan) Danner of Herndon, Va., Rebecca (husband, Arturo) Cacayuran of Chicago and Alexander Waite of Champaign; one stepgrandson, Eric Cresson of North Carolina; two sisters, Viola Benson of Pittsfield and Louise (husband, James) Opoien of Marinette, Wis.; one brother, Ralph of Pittsfield; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his stepmother, Lucile Waite; one sister, Helen Waite; and one brother, Kyle Waite.
Mr. Waite was a 1936 graduate of New Salem High School in New Salem, where he was valedictorian of his class and later attended Western Illinois University in Macomb, graduating in 1940 with a Bachelor of Education in Science and Mathematics. He was a classroom teacher at Pleasant Grove Rural School in Pittsfield, and later became a science teacher and athletic coach in Illinois as well as teaching locally in Baylis. He later attended the University of Chicago where he entered the Air Force Meteorology Cadet Program (1942-1943) serving his country in the U.S. Air Force as Weather Officer from 1943 to 1946. He then was a briefer-observer for the National Weather Service in Chicago, from 1948 to 1951. In 1951-1952 he served as a meteorologist for U.S. Air Force in Seoul, Korea. Following Korea, he became a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Kansas City, Mo.
Mr. Waite was the state climatologist in Madison, Wis., from 1956-1959 and became the state climatologist in Des Moines, Iowa, from 1959-1973. In 1966 he graduated with a Master of Science in Metrology from the University of Michigan. Concurrently, he was assistant director from 1959 to 1970 for the Iowa Weather Service and was director of the Iowa Weather Service from 1970 to 1973. He was USDC collaborator at the Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, from 1959 to 1973. He became the lead forecaster in Des Moines, Iowa, from 1973-1974. Also, he was a lecturer at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, from 1959 to 1970 when he became adjunct professor at Drake University.
From 1974-1976, Mr. Waite was a Deputy Project Manager at Johnson Space Center in Houston, where he was involved with crop forecasting utilizing satellite surveillance. Returning to Iowa in 1976, he became state climatologist for the Iowa Department of Agriculture. He retired in 1988. He belonged to several professional societies including the Society for Applied Climatology, the American Meteorological Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Weather Association. He was a fellow of the Iowa Academy of Science. He belonged to the American Association of State Climatologists, serving as secretary from 1976-1977 and president from 1977-1978.
Mr. Waite's publications included approximately 100 professional and popular articles, book reviews, forewords, chapters in books and co-authored books. He was recognized with the Meritorious Service Commendation, U.S. Air Force in 1952. He was listed in American Men and Women of Science in 1979. He received the NASA Group Achievement Award for Large Area Crop Inventory Experiment in 1979. In 1980 he was listed in Who's Who in Technology. He received the Distinguished Service Award in 1983 from Iowa Academy of Science. He was also listed in the Who's Who in The World 1984/1985, as well as Who's Who in The Midwest 1986/1987.
Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Friday at the Airsman-Hires Chapel in Griggsville, with burial at Griggsville Cemetery. Visitation will be held an hour prior to services Friday at the chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Paul J. Waite Atmospheric Studies Award at Drake University or to Griggsville Cemetery or Hinman Chapel Cemetery, all c/o Airsman-Hires Chapel, Box 341, Griggsville, IL 62340. Condolences may be left at www.airsman-hires.com.
Published in Jacksonville Journal-Courier from Apr. 30 to May 2, 2008
- Paul J. Waite, 89, of Pittsfield, died early Monday, April 28, 2008, at Blessing Hospital in Quincy.
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Source Citations
- [S11] Social Security Death Index, Ancestry.com, (Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011.Original data - Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration.Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security D;), Issue State: Illinois; Issue Date: Before 1951.
- [S11] Social Security Death Index, Ancestry.com, (Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011.Original data - Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration.Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security D;), Issue State: Illinois; Issue Date: Before 1951.