Beloved father, grandfather, and dear friend to many, James Logue (Pete) Whitehead, III, passed away peacefully September 23rd at his residence at St. Catherine’s Village in Madison, Mississippi.
“Little Pete,” as he was known by everyone, was born in Winona, Mississippi, March 19, 1937, to James Logue “Big Pete” Whitehead, Jr., and Mary Frances Jenkins Whitehead, who then resided in Moorhead, Mississippi. The family moved to Winona, Mississippi, where Pete was raised. He graduated from Winona High School in 1955. Pete was awarded the very first “Bill Stewart Award” in 1955, given to the most outstanding football player (as a center) in the Mississippi High School All Star Game. He attended Mississippi State University on an athletic scholarship and played football from 1955-1958 and graduated with a B.A. in History in 1959. While at MSU, Pete was married to Jennie Lee Garrott, also from Winona.
Pete’s love of history, athletic achievement, and nurturing young people led him into the world of teaching and coaching with stops in Slidell, Louisiana; Bruce, Vaiden, Greenwood and Moss Point, Mississippi; Caracas, Venezuela, and several schools in the state of Oregon. As a student himself, he obtained a M.Ed. from Delta State University in 1971 and an Ed.D. from MSU in 1974. Later in life, chasing a passion of all things old and unique, Pete went to auctioneering school and became a professional auctioneer, often donating his time and skills to those for whom he banged the gavel.
Pete was preceded in death by his parents and foster brother Billy Stacy of Starkville, Mississippi. He was also preceded in death by his beloved wife, Carole Newland Whitehead of Dundee, Oregon, and her brother, Bob Newland of Eugene, Oregon.
Survivors include children James Logue (Jim) Whitehead, IV, of Memphis, Tennessee; Emilie Whitehead Odom (Mike) of Ridgeland, Mississippi; Carole’s children, Erik Hanson (Danielle) of Phoenix, Arizona, and Sonja Hanson (Jerre Munson) of Dundee, Oregon. Grandchildren are Jennie and Asher Odom; Cameron, Jack and Quinlyn Hanson; and Skyler and Kirk Whalon. He is also survived by sisters-in-law, Christie Newland and Candace Newland-Holley and several nieces and nephews.
Inscribed on the Bill Stewart Award are the following words: “Presented by Arthur Morton to the All-Star Football player whose attitude, character, and conduct on and off the field best exemplifies the life and endeavors of Bill Stewart-athlete, gentleman, sportsman, and sacrificial patriot.” Pete aspired to live his life by these words and has now been welcomed into Heaven and eternal life.
Visitation will be from 10:00-11:00 a.m., Thursday, September 30th, followed by a Memorial Service at 11:00 a.m., both at Highlands Presbyterian Church, 1160 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, Mississippi. Interment will follow at 2:30 p.m. that day in Oakwood Cemetery in Winona, Mississippi. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Palmer Home for Children in Columbus, Mississippi, or to the charity of your choosing.
Oliver Funeral Home of Winona, Inc. 
A kind and great guy A friend
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Little Pete was a good friend and neighbor when we moved to Winona. We bought property from Big Pete and Frances and I am still living on that property. The Whiteheads were good people and Little Pete’s family continue to carry on that family tradition.
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Coach Whitehead was my jr high coach at Greenwood. He was one of a kind. Always smiling and available to talk and encourage you to be the best.
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Mr. Pete I will miss you Ol’ boy. You have a special place in my memory. Thanks for the stories you shared and the laughs we had. You live on in many, many people. You were one of the great ones!
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Dr. Whitehead was principal of our grade school in the early 90’s. He wasn’t just the principal he was our friend. In 1993, when faced with taking our kids out of school a few days early, or taking a road trip across the U.S. Pete told us to take the kids out of school and go. “They will learn more on the road than they will sitting in a classroom”. He told us that if we went through Mississippi to stop and say hi to his “Momma” in Winona and gave us her phone number. As it turned out we went through Winona and met Mrs. Whitehead. She was wonderful and told us all about “Little Pete” in his childhood. Our family still talks about our visit. When we got home Pete told us his “Momma” had called him to tell him about her visitors from Oregon. Pete was a great friend and I still think of him often. A truly great man! Rest in Peace Pete, you earned it!
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