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Team MDL mourns after loss of Dix 'Mayor'

  • Published
  • By David Moore and Senior Airman Tara A. Williamson
  • Army Support Activity-Dix Public Affairs and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Steven Whitmore, affectionately known as "mayor" of then-Fort Dix, passed away Aug. 14, and his family, friends and former colleagues gathered for a service to honor his life Aug. 19 in North Hanover, New Jersey.

Retiring from his position at the post's Regional Directorate of Public Works in 2011, Whitmore had 65 years of federal service to his name including as a veteran of World War II.

He separated from the military April 29, 1946 at Fort Dix. Once separated, he walked through the installation and saw a help-wanted sign at the electrical shop. He then continued to advance through the civilian ranks until finally becoming the Public Works operations officer.

It was during his 2011 retirement ceremony that Maj. Gen. William D. R. Waff, former 99th Regional Support Command commander, dubbed Whitmore the "mayor" of Fort Dix.

Whitmore received several formal military awards, certificates and gifts. He also received well wishes from area federal and state legislators and a letter from President George W. Bush during the celebration of his 60th year of federal service.

"He is known as a person who always took the 'hard right' when there were problems," said Col. Patrick Slowey, former Army Support Activity-Dix commander, during the retirement ceremony. He spoke of the Army's Core Values as he listed each one and gave examples of how Whitmore took care of the Soldier and the mission.

Everyone who spoke at Whitmore's retirement had only the best to say about him and recalled their favorite memories of his time on the installation.

Dave Peckham, former director for the installation's Regional Directorate of Public Works, worked with Whitmore for 10 years, and recalled a late night thunderstorm when Whitmore wanted to get closer to wires to determine whether they were communication or electrical lines.

"Steven insisted on getting a closer look, so he got out of the truck and started across the field and all of a sudden disappeared," he said. "How could someone disappear in the middle of an open field? I finally heard him grumbling and found out he had fallen into one of Dix's infamous groundhog holes."

Sara Johnson, former director of the Dix Army's Morale, Welfare and Recreation, called Whitmore a "jack of all trades."

Whitmore had worked as a federal employee through 12 presidents and nine major military operations. Soldiers who trained here during the post's basic training days and participated in other contingency operations were supported by Whitmore when they needed heat and electricity. Whether it was powering up concrete buildings or supporting the building of a forward operating base in the range areas, Whitmore was in the mix.