Biography: His beloved pet, Bo, was there to greet him on the Rainbow Bridge to take Ernest Lyndon “Sonny” Whitelaw, Jr. to the nursery in heaven where the babies were joyfully waiting to feel his loving arms around them. He was born on July 2, 1927, to Ernest Lyndon Whitelaw, Sr. and Aldah Thompson Whitelaw Wilkinson, and died on December 29, 2005, at his home following a brief illness. He was preceded in death by his parents and his stepfather, Oscar ³Buck² Wilkinson. He is survived by his bride and soulmate of 27 years, Mary Sue Benedetto Whitelaw, seven children, Martha Lyndon "Marty" Whitelaw Hendricks, Little Rock, AR; Aldah Jean "Jeanie" Whitelaw, Clifton, NJ; Sam Whitelaw, Magnolia, AR; Drew May (Suzanne), Conway, AR; Dr. Steven Whitelaw (Marisela), Fayetteville, AR; Spencer May, Little Rock, AR, and Erin Whitelaw McConnell (Hugh), Sherwood, AR and his loving pet, Buddy. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, Kristin Hendricks Sharp (Shane); Ashley Whitelaw; Blake Hendricks; Alex Whitelaw; Morgan May; Landry May; Haley Whitelaw; Mac McConnell, and William Whitelaw, and three great-grandchildren, Tyler, Ryli and Cannon Sharp. He is also survived by his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Frances Anne and Tommy Gascon, Brusly, LA, and his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Frankie and Marlene Benedetto, The Bluff, LA. He was preceded in death by his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Genevieve and Charles D. Benedetto. He leaves behind a host of special nieces and nephews in Louisiana who he loved dearly. He graduated from Fishburne Military School in Waynesboro, VA, and from Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, AR. His career began in 1950 with Arkansas Power & Light Company. In 1968, he was named Executive Director of the Southwest Arkansas Planning & Development District in Magnolia, AR. In 1980, then Governor Bill Clinton appointed him as Deputy Director of the Ozarks Regional Commission in Little Rock, AR, and in 1980, he was promoted to Vice President and Program Officer of the Council of Ozarks Governors, Little Rock, AR. In 1983, he returned to Entergy, Inc., where he served as Manager for Community Development until his retirement in 1997. He was highly sought after to serve on boards in the state because of his integrity and the high level of esteem in which he was held by many. Those included the American Indian Center of Arkansas, where he served as chairman of the board; the Regional AIDS Interfath Network, where he served as president of the board; and LeadAR Arkansas, the Industrial Developers of Arkansas; the Southern Industrial Development Council; and the Community Development Council. He was co-founder of the Community Development Institute at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, where he also served on the faculty. He was most fulfilled by his volunteer work with the Holy Souls RAIN Careteam, Arkansas Children¹s Hospital, where he rocked babies once a week for six years, and his role as Advocate for the Marriage Tribunal of the Diocese of Little Rock. Honorary pallbearers are Lawrence “Tommy” Gascon, Frankie Benedetto, Bill Canino, Bill Inman, Bill Waters, Christine Allen, Louis Lefebvre, Paul Crossman, Ray Riggs, Joe Murrey andTom Murrey. Special thanks to Dr. Robert Henry and Dr. Laura Otter for their loving care, Jan McRaven and the rest of the staff at Arkansas Hospice and all of our family and friends who have been our light even in the darkest hour. A memorial vigil will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 30, 2005 at Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church. Memorial Mass will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, also at the church, officiated by Monsignor David LeSieur. Inurnment will follow in the Holy Souls Garden Columbarium. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Our Lady of the Holy Souls Bell Tower Fund, The Pulaski County Humane Society or Arkansas Children¹s Hospital Infant and Toddlers Unit. Cremation and service arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.