Harlan E. Whitacre, well-known Kearney teacher and scouting executive, died at a local hospital last evening, following an illness of nearly a month. On May 18, he had been operated upon for appendicitis. His condition remained critical, but hope for his recovery was not abandoned until death due to embolism, came yesterday.

Funeral services will be held from the Christian church on Wednesday morning at ten, and interment will be made at Farnam. The Rev. Wayne Greene, expected home from Kentucky, will officiate. The body is to lie in state at the Anderson Funeral Home Tuesday afternoon from three until four o'clock, it was announced.

Surviving the twenty-seven year-old teacher are his widow, Mrs. Esther Whitacre; one son, Donald Dean, five and one-half months of age; two brothers, Stewart and Donald; and two sisters, Erma and Leta Mae. His step-father, H. G. Whitacre, also survives.

Mr. Whitacre had been a Kearney resident for six years and attended college here, later accepting a position in the local schools, which he had filled for the past three years.

Kearney Daily Hub, 5 June 1933.

Harlan Edward Whitacre was born in Aurora, Nebraska Dec. 1, 1905 and died at his home in Kearney, Nebraska, June 4, 1933 at five o'clock in the evening aged 27 years. His death came as a result of complications following an operation for appendicitis.

Mr. Whitacre was married to Miss Esther Isabelle Hicks of Farnam, Neb., May 23, 1931. To this union was born one son, Donald Dean, on Dec. 14, 1932.

The deceased leaves, besides his little son and his widow, two brothers, Stewart and Donald both of Jacksonville, Ill., and two sisters, Miss Erma Whitacre of Canton, Ohio and Miss Lela Mae Whitacre of Beaver City, Nebraska.

Mr. Whitacre graduated from the Beaver City High school and in June of 1931 graduated from the Kearney State Teachers College. In September of 1930 he began teaching Industrial Education in the Kearney High school, which position he filled with marked success until the time of his death. He was a member of the Kearney Chamber of Commerce where he proved himself a valuable counsellor and faithful attendant. When 14 years of age he united with the Christian church of Aurora, Nebraska and transferred his membership to the local Christian church on taking up his duties in Kearney. He made himself invaluable in the various activities of his church especially as a deacon and a teacher of a Sunday School class for the past two years. Perhaps he attracted more attention throughout the entire community as a result of his deep interest in the boys and his active participation in Boy Scout work than for any other one thing that he did. He will be a distinct loss to the boy life of the community and his name will be held in great respect and reverence by all those who were brought under his fine influence.

The heart of the entire community goes out in sympathy with the widow in this deep affliction, trusting that she will find some solace in the assurance that it fell to the lot of her husband to render a more valuable service in a short span of years than is given to many to do in decades. God's blessings upon his labors and God's benediction upon the sorrowing.

The Farnam Echo, 9 June 1933.