McLean Little League Loses Longtime Benefactor

McLean Little League starts its season Saturday missing one of its biggest and longest supporters, Wayne M. Whitlow.

Whitlow died March 13th at his home in Alton, Virginia of heart and lung failure.  He was 85 years old.

Whitlow's family business, Wayne Insulation, has the distinction of being the only original and continuous McLean Little League sponsor since the league's inaugural season in 1956. 

When the league started, Whitlow lived on Youngblood Street in McLean.  That is how the relationship began.

Whitlow played baseball as a kid and all through high school. His daughter, Mary Whitlow said her father's feelings for baseball could be summed up in three simple words.  He "just loved it."

"He loved to play ball and he wanted to give other children that same opportunity.  He was very much a supporter of boys clubs, or boys' homes.  That was his mindset," she said.

Whitlow also supported the Patrick Henry Boys and Girls Home in Brookneal, Va., as well as other youth sports leagues.

By the time Whitlow's  two sons were old enough to play ball, the family had moved to Arlington. His sons never played for McLean Little League, but Whitlow Insulation continued to financially support the MLL.

"I believe if you keep youngsters doing things that are important to them, that keeps them out of trouble," he once wrote.  "I keep the team going because the kids love it." 

In fact, since the league's first year, Team Wayne Insulation has been a fixture in the MLL majors division.  And in its inaugural year, the team finished first in both seasons.

"McLean Little League lost a good friend and supporter," said Mike Mendler, President of the league.  "Mr. Whitlow has been a loyal McLean Little League sponsor for over 55 years.  He supported the local Little League organization in good economic times and bad," he added.  "Through his continued support he made a positive impact on the youth of McLean over many, many years."

Whitlow's daughter, Mary, has served as President of Wayne Insulation since her father's retirement in 2003.  She noted that Wayne Insulation has continued to sponsor MLL since his retirement, and will continue to do so in his memory.

Her father once said if there are any years that the company cannot continue to sponsor a team for any reason, that he would step in and continue it.  "So I just made it a priority," she said.

Wayne Whitlow came from a farming family, and served the Navy during World War II as a coxswain on The USS Winston.  After the war, he finished high school. 

He worked in the insulation industry in Richmond for about a year, and eventually borrowed money from a local grocer and former employer to start his own insulation company in Northern Virginia.  He was able to pay the loan off in less than a year.

Whitlow's daughter, Mary, is not sure of the year, but after her father moved to northern Virginia, he played for a local team back in Red House, Va. called the Red House Scrubs. 

"The teammates would pass the tin cup each game to collect gas money for my dad," she said.  "He would drive down on his motorcycle to play in the games.  His team won the championship game that year, and he received the game hitting honors for hitting two doubles.  I guess you could call him the ringer," she said.

Whitlow was not much of a baseball spectator. His daughter surmised that he quit watching after the Washington Senators left town.  But he did follow golf and the Redskins.

Wayne Whitlow is survived by his wife of 60-years, Mary Lea "Dixie" Wilson Whitlow of Alton, Virginia; as well as his four children Janet Lea Clover and her husband George of Fort Myers Beach, Fla; Richard Wayne Whitlow and wife Dona Dickinson of Great Falls, Va.; Dr. John Blanton Whitlow of Falls Church, Va; and Mary Whitlow Otte and husband Robert of Falls Church, Va. He is also survived by three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and two sisters.

The family requested donations be made to McLean Little League, PO Box 222, Arlington VA 22101 or Arlington Optimist Club, PO Box 100224, Arlington VA 22210.