Obituary of James Ellsworth Whitehead, Jr.

James E. Whitehead Jr., 81 of Washington, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on Saturday evening, July 5, 2025 while under hospice care at the Karen Ann Quinlan Home for Hospice located in Fredon Township.  James was born on October 15, 1943 in Alexandria, Virginia. He was the son of the late James E. Whitehead Sr. and the late Edna Iris Cooper (Hitt).  

As a youngster, James could be found patrolling the streets of the coal mining town of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, and he would be outfitted to replicate his childhood hero Hopalong Cassidy.  In chasing employment opportunities in the late 1960s, he relocated to Washington, so he could play the role of historian and tell you about all the changes that happened to businesses and the landscape of the town over the years.  On April 19, 1979, he married his beloved spouse Linda Ann Suruda. The couple met through a mutual friend, and their initial two-hour date led to 40 plus years of marriage, in which they amassed endless memories, the most memorable being the birth of their two children.  Over the years, James worked as a Metal Finisher/Grinder being employed by the Witte Company of Washington and the Flexicon Corporation in Phillipsburg/Bethlehem while raising his family.  

In the 1980s, he enjoyed bowling and participated in leagues at Oakwood Lanes with his wife and friends, and most importantly throughout the years he enjoyed watching classic shows on television. Some of his favorites included, The Three Stooges, The Lone Ranger, All in the Family, and Sanford and Son.  During the college football season, he could be found sitting on the edge of his recliner cheering and yelling at the television while watching his Penn State Nittany Lions.  However, in his spare time, he was a mathematician, always crunching numbers on his calculator trying to find the right formula to crack the winning codes of the New Jersey Lottery.  In addition to playing the daily lottery, he also enjoyed and looked forward to perusing the weekly circular, making a shopping list, and strolling the isles of the local ShopRite on Saturday mornings.

Ultimately, James is known for his blue-collar attitude and work ethic, often working 10 to 12 hour shifts through the years, sometimes 7 days a week.  Despite working long shifts, he always made sure that his children were fed and that he was present at their school and sporting events.  During and even after his working years, he could be seen proudly wearing apparel of his employer, in which he even called himself a free walking advertisement.  

Surviving are his daughter, Dawn L. Fisher of Phillipsburg (daughter from previous marriage), son, James W. Whitehead and his wife Erin of Washington, daughter, Jennifer L. Avia of Washington, his brother John Whitehead and his wife Janet of York, Pennsylvania, and four grand-children.  He was predeceased by his father, James E. Whitehead Sr. (2005), his mother, Edna Iris Hitt (2010), and his wife, Linda Ann Whitehead (2019).    .

Friends and relatives may gather to help celebrate James's life on Wednesday, July 30, 2025 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Knoll-DeVoe Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 142 West Washington Avenue, Washington, NJ 07882.  At a later date, James's cremains will be entombed with family at the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania.  

To share memories with the family please visit www.knolldevoefh.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations in James's name may be made to Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice by clicking here.