Lawrence J. Whitehead

Lawrence “Larry” Joseph Whitehead, age 75, of Belleville, IL, born on February 4, 1947, in East St. Louis, IL, the son of Charles Eugene and Rose Marie, nee Koenig, Whitehead, died June 15, 2022, peacefully at home.

He attended Our Lady Queen of Peace, Cathedral High School for three years and then graduated from the initial class of Althoff Catholic High School in 1965. He married Catherine Marie Webster in 1965. He earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Louis University.

Larry worked in Kansas City, MO as an insulation salesman for Maddox Co. In 1973, he returned to work for the family companies of Art Biebel Roofing and Whitehead Insulation & Sales. The companies merged in 1980 as Whitehead Roofing & Insulation. He became President and CEO in 1984 and led the company until it closed. In 1999, he and his wife Cathy started M.O.M. Distributing and 4-Points Roofing and Siding. Cathy did custom upholstery and drapery work as Larry did residential shingle and siding work until his death.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Cathy, nee Webster, Whitehead. He  is survived by his five daughters: Rebecca (Chris) Miller of Georgetown, TX; Karin (Edwin) Hendrick of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA; Barbara (Jim Spence) Whitehead of Belleville, IL; Suzanne Whitehead of Belleville, IL; and Adrianne (Paul) Jouet of Harahan, LA; his ten grandchildren, Madeleine, Savannah, and Jacquelyn Miller, Michael (Briana), Catherine, Nicholas, and Sam Hendrick, and Cate, Violet, and Sylvia Jouet. He is also survived by his siblings, Jeanne Whitehead of Deltona, FL; Tom (Dianne) Whitehead of Leawood, KS; Cookie (Phil) Koesterer of Overland Park, KS; and Julie (Ray) McIntyre of Fenton, MO.

Larry was an active sports fan of the St. Louis Blues and Cardinals. He was an avid tennis player and moderate golfer. His favorite pastime was playing Belleville Liability Rum or partners Gin Rummy with friends. Larry was a member of Oak Hill Racquet Club, Kings Point, and a 40-year member and board member of St. Clair Country Club.

Larry enjoyed life and working with people. He was always open to a “deal” of a variety in nature. He continued to work his business, because as he stated, “I need something to occupy my time, I’m pretty good at what I do, and I like people.”  He always said he’d never met a stranger.

He was a devout Catholic, a lifelong member of Queen of Peace Church. He was always open to helping others if he could. He was a character who knew many people who would call him and ask who could do something and he would find out who did the best job and do it right. One of his favorite sayings was, “To get things done, you have to know someone who knows someone.”

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John’s Community Care, Collinsville, IL, or Family Hospice of Belleville, IL.

Visitation will be held on Friday, June 24, 2022, from 2-8 p.m. with a Rosary at 4:30 p.m. at Kassly Mortuary, Ltd., Fairview Heights, IL.

A Celebration of a Catholic Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, June 25, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Belleville, IL.

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