Monday anniversary of Whitlock's death
By ALEX MCRAE
alex@newnan.com
Representatives of the Capt. Nicholas S. Whitlock Foundation are asking the Newnan and Coweta community to take part in a moment of silence Monday to commemorate the time the Newnan native’s plane went down a year ago in Djibouti, Africa, while he was returning from a military mission.
“I wanted to make you aware of a moment of silence that will take place on the 18th of this month at the time Nick’s plane, Ratchet 33, went down last year,” said Ana Edge, Secretary of the Whitlock Foundation. “The exact time is 10:19 CST, and more information can be found on our website blog. There will be a memorial service that morning at Hurlburt Field in Florida, but we would like everyone in Newnan to participate in the moment of silence.”
Whitlock’s father, Jimmy Whitlock, works for U.S. Foods in Fairburn, and his mother, Clare Schade Whitlock, is minister to women and minister of member assimilation at First Baptist Church of Newnan.
His paternal grandfather, Wendell Whitlock, was the public works superintendent for Coweta County for decades. The airman’s grandmother, Elva Allen Whitlock, is a leader in church and civic activities and comes from a family in Coweta since 1848.
Nick Whitlock was a 2001 honor graduate of Newnan High School. He played football and baseball at Newnan.
An Eagle Scout, Nick Whitlock earned his private pilot’s license while flying at Falcon Field in Peachtree City and at Newnan-Coweta Airport. He was accepted into the U.S. Air Force, assigned to Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala., where he was commissioned second lieutenant.
Whitlock received his wings in May 2008 and was assigned to Air Force Special Operations at Hulburt Field.
Coweta County’s airport has been renamed in his honor — Newnan-Coweta County Airport at Whitlock Field.
