Obituary: Franklin Whitner "Whit" Chase Jr.

Franklin Whitner “Whit” Chase Jr., died Sunday, May 17, 2020.  He was 84 years old. Born May 11, 1936, in Sanford, Florida, he lived in Windermere, Florida, for many years. He was the son of Franklin Whitner Chase, Central Florida citrus grower, and Helen Verney Chase. He was a descendent of William Pope Duval, Florida’s first territorial governor.

He was an alumnus of the Fessenden School, Phillips Exeter Academy and Rollins College, where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Fraternity. At Rollins, he won the Algernon Sydney Sullivan award, the college’s highest recognition for a graduating senior for excellence of character and service to humanity.

Whit was involved in agriculture his entire life. His family had been growers in citrus and vegetables in Central Florida and throughout the state for a hundred years. His first love was citrus, and he spent a great part of his life working in the industry. His first job was in a packing house. Whit managed Chase and Company and Chase Groves Inc.’s grove holdings in Isleworth near Windermere and around the state. He served on the Board of Haines City Citrus Growers Association.

In the early ’80s Chase groves were hit by winter freezes, hurting business. In 1984 the business closed, the family sold Isleworth to Arnold Palmer, and Whit moved to Sanford. Whit served as an agricultural advisor to Senator Bob Graham from 1990 to 1999. After leaving his position at the Senate, he worked for the State of Florida Department of Agriculture. Upon retiring from the state, he joined his cousin Joshua Chase on the family’s Jumpie Run timber plantation in Monticello, Florida. Jumpie Run had been in the family since the 1930s, and it was there that Whit died.

Whit was a founding member of the Windermere Rotary chapter, was named a Paul Harris Fellow and served as Rotary president from 1970-71. He was Boy Scout leader of Windermere Troop 223 from 1975 to 1977. He served with the founding trustees on the Board of Trustees of Lake Highland Preparatory School from 1976 to 1979, and of Rollins College from 1978 to 1987, when he was elected an Honorary Trustee until 1990.

He was also on the Rollins College Alumni Association Board of Directors. He served as Head Coach of Rollins College Crew Team from 1985-1987. Whit was a member of the Orange County Council of 100 and a Life Member of The American Forestry Association

Survivors include his wife, Jane Costello Chase; son, Franklin Whitner Chase III, Windermere; daughter, Pamela Chase Coutant, Winter Park; daughter, Elizabeth Chase Scarlett, Tryon, North Carolina; stepdaughter, Allison Sirkin Woolston, Denver, Colorado; eight grandchildren, Franklin Whitner Chase IV, Benjamin Carter Chase, Lucia Elizabeth Coutant, Sophie Chase Coutant, Franco Vincent Aiello, Katherine Joan Scarlett, Chase William Scarlett and Madelyn Sydney Scarlett; and two step-grandsons, Hastings Rice Woolston and Colyer Sibley Woolston.

Whit is predeceased by his grandson, Mario George Aiello, and stepson, Lt. Stephen Stuart Sirkin.

A memorial service will be held in the fall.