OBITUARIES: Charlie O. Whitley Sr.

Former Congressman Charlie Whitley of Mount Olive died October 27

A native of Siler City, Whitley got his law degree at Wake Forest in 1950. He attained a masters degree in legislative affairs at George Washington University in 1972.

After graduating from law school, Whitley moved to Mount Olive and practiced law there for 10 years. He was Mount Olive’s town attorney.

In 1961, he became a congressional aide. In 1976, he was elected to Congress from the Third District and served five terms. He served on the Armed Services Committee and the Agriculture Committee. He also served on the subcommittee on wheat and feed grains, cotton, rice, sugar, tobacco and peanuts. He was chairman of the subcommittee on forests, family farms, and energy. He was elected zone whip for North Carolina and Virginia for four terms and was appointed one of seven deputy whips nationwide by the House Democratic leadership.

Whitley retired from Congress in 1986 and worked as a special consultant with the Tobacco Institute for nine years.

Whitley served as a trustee at Campbell University, which conferred an honorary doctorate upon him in 1985. The Mount Olive Jaycees honored him with its first Distinguished Service Award. He joined the U.S. Army in 1944 and served overseas with the 25th Infantry Division. He was discharged as a lieutenant after service in the Army Reserve.