April Leigh Whitaker

April Leigh Whitaker, 50, passed away after a brief illness in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her loving husband and other family members by her side. She was a devoted wife, daughter, sister, friend and will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

April was born on April 12, 1974 in Jacksonville, Florida and was the youngest of three daughters born to Richard and Janet Whitaker. She was preceded in death by her sister Angela Frances Whitaker Revis, Grandparents Clifford and Edna Whitaker, Grandparents John and Zelma Vaught, Uncle Jerry Lee Whitaker, and Aunt Linda Vaught Hart.
April leaves behind her beloved husband, Christopher H. Anderson, her parents Richard and Janet Whitaker, sister Jennifer A. Whitaker Mosely (Jeff Mosely, Madison, and David), brother in-law Guy Wendell Revis (Skyler and Lola), sister in-law Monique Gainsely-Spears (Veronica), mother in-law Kathleen Anderson (Jim) and many more cousins, aunts, and uncles whom she loved very much.
April’s beautiful story began with her early years growing up in Jacksonville, going to church, the beach, music, and dance lessons. She was the sweetest and most easy-going child anyone ever knew and she loved dogs. Much like her sisters, she learned to play flute and piano. She also became very involved in dance with a special focus in ballet and graduated from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. April’s continued embrace of arts and culture throughout her life led her to earn a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Florida and a Master of Archaeology from the University of West Florida. It was during her time working on her masters in Pensacola when she met her future husband, Chris and they were married on March 29, 2003. They were joyfully married for twenty-one wonderful years. They had so many amazing times and adventures together and lived in Tucson, Arizona with their dog Barley for several years. April worked in archaeological excavations and research for Tierra Archaeology Services and was a Certified Southwestern Archaeologist. She was able to experience the wide-open desert and had a vast knowledge of the land and the ancient civilizations that inhabited it. April and Chris eventually settled in North Carolina where she was employed at North Carolina State University in the Foreign Language Department as the Student Services Coordinator. She was a beloved and respected member of the department and will be greatly missed by everyone there.

Her loving kindness, honesty, and sweetness will abide in our hearts forever. April loved animals and dogs especially. In lieu of flowers, we suggest that a donation to a rescue or animal shelter be made in her name.

A loving tribute to April's life will be held at a memorial service at
11 AM on Sunday July 14, 2024 at the Whitaker Family Reunion.
227 Dahl Road, Somerset, Kentucky 42503