Ralph Gary Whitener

Ralph Gary Whitener, a lifelong resident of Shreveport, was born on August 8, 1951, to Ralph and Barbara Whitener. He passed away on July 20, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. He was a graduate of C. E. Byrd High School and attended Louisiana State University Shreveport.

Gary began his early career at Adcock Distributing Company. In 1980, he and his brother David purchased the company and went into business together, continuing the family’s work and building lasting relationships throughout the food service industry. The company was later sold to Doerle Food Services in 1998, and Gary continued working in management until his retirement in 2013. A natural negotiator, Gary loved a good deal, and he deeply valued the many business relationships and friendships he formed over the years.

Gary and his beloved wife, Gail, enjoyed 48 years of marriage and were blessed with opportunities to travel all over the world together. He was the ultimate outdoorsman and loved fishing, hunting, boating, and skiing. He especially enjoyed being on the water and spending time at the farm, where he found great joy and peace.

Gary was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and the Louisiana Restaurant Association.

He is survived by his wife, Gail Whitener; his children, Sara Whitener, Mark and his wife, Mary Whitener, all of Shreveport; his grandchildren, Luke and Jane Whitener, who will miss their Pops so very much; his brothers, David Whitener and his wife, Carol, of Shreveport, and Bryan Whitener of Washington, D.C.; his brother-in-law, Buck Buchanan and his wife, Kathleen; and his nieces, Kylie Reeves and her husband, Andy; Katie Boyd and her husband, Steven; Kimberly Stephen and her husband Ryan; Marianne Hawkins and her husband, Michael, and Margaret Barker and her husband, Bret.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at 10:30 am St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, with a reception to follow in the parlor.

The family wishes to express their sincere appreciation to the staff at the Village Health Center at The Glen for the special care they gave to Gary. The family is also especially grateful to Gary’s brother, David, for his faithful visits, his care for Gary, and his loving support throughout this journey.

Memorials may be made to The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center or to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.