Jimmy Frederick Whaley, 72, of Warsaw passed away on July 8, 2016 at Sampson Regional Medical Center in Clinton after a long illness.

Jimmy was born in Wallace on June 13, 1944 to David Jackson (Jack) Whaley and Lillian Geneva Sholar Whaley. He spent most of his adult life in Duplin County where he was well-known and respected in the community as a builder and as owner of several businesses, including Warsaw Inn. He graduated from Wallace-Rose Hill High School in 1962, and served honorably in the North Carolina National Guard from 1964-1970. After being diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2002, Jimmy fought a courageous battle with the disease for 14 years. During that time, he was especially inspired to share his gift of singing as a member of the Warsaw Presbyterian Church choir, the Troubadours singing group in Asheville and a long-time resident of Mary Gran Nursing Center in Clinton.

He is survived by his sister, RD, three children, David Whaley, Mary Whaley and Emily Wells and husband JW, and two grandsons.

Visitation will be from 10:00-10:45 am on Wednesday, July 13 in the Fellowship Hall of the Warsaw Presbyterian Church, followed by the funeral at 11:00 am and burial at Devotional Gardens in Warsaw.

Casket Bearers will be Danny Johnson, Harrel Gene Sholar, Brad Shook, Jimmy Thomas, Brian West and Norwood West.

Memorial donations may be made to Warsaw Presbyterian Church, 203 E. Hill Street, Warsaw, NC 28398 or to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Grand Central Station, PO Box 4777, New York, NY 10163.

To sign the guest book, go to www.padgettfuneralhome.com.

A service of Padgett Funeral and Cremation Services, Wallace.