Benton | Attorney Rebecca Whittington, who was serving as Board Chair for the Illinois Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services, died July 8 at the University of Louisville Jewish Hospital. Whittington lived in Benton and had a law office in Carbondale. Her experience as a lawyer was beneficial to BCHFS as the ministry navigated an interim leadership period of more than a year, while conducting a search for the current Executive Director, Kevin Carrothers. She was also involved in development of policies for child abuse prevention.
Whittington was a graduate of Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. She began her career first as a judicial law clerk in Benton in 1983, as a member of two Carbondale firms starting in 1985, and since 1997 had a solo practice. She served a variety of important posts in the profession, while also serving music leadership in churches and serving Illinois Baptists through her involvement with BCHFS. Whittington attended Immanuel Baptist Church in Benton for many years, and more recently attended Lebanon Missionary Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon.
Whittington was preceded in death by her parents, Rev. Carl and Eva Bennett Whittington, and her brother, Richard “Dick” Whittington. She was a native of Mt. Vernon.
The funeral will be conducted July 15 at Morton and Johnston Funeral Home in Benton, with Dr. Kevin Carrothers officiating.