Whitener Family Papers

Sterling Wilfong Whitener was born in 1894 in North Carolina. He married Marie Hegnauer in 1919 and they left for China that year, serving as missionaries first under the Reformed Church in the U.S. and later under the Evangelical and Reformed Church. Following language study in Nanjing (Nanking), the Whiteners were stationed in Yueyang (Yochow), Hunan Province. Sterling was assigned to evangelistic work and Marie worked with a women's Bible school. Following their furlough in 1924 the Whiteners returned to Yueyang (Yochow) but in 1927 political disturbances forced their evacuation to Shanghai and then to the United States. where Sterling served three churches in Thomasville, NC. From 1928 to 1934 the Whiteners again served in Yochow. Due to the political situation, Sterling worked with famine relief during the floods of 1930 while the family was evacuated to Shanghai for six months. Sterling also organized relief programs for refugees fleeing fighting. Following furlough in 1934, the Whiteners returned to Yueyang (Yochow). During 1939 to 1941 the Whiteners were evacuated to Yuanling in western Hunan Province due to air raids. Marie was in Shanghai during 1940 so that the children could attend Shanghai American School. From 1941 to 1946 the Whiteners were on an extended furlough in North Carolina, unable to return to China because of war conditions. They returned to Yueyang (Yoyang, Yochow) in 1946 and Marie died in Hankou (Hankow) in 1947. Sterling returned to the United States in 1948 and died in North Carolina in 1950.

Sterling Hegnauer Whitener was born in China in 1921, son of Sterling and Marie. After receiving a B.A. from Catawba College and a M.Div. from Yale Divinity School, Sterling H. and his wife, Barbara Brown Whitener, joined his parents in Yueyang (Yoyang), Hunan Province in 1946, serving under the Evangelical and Reformed Church. After one year of educational work, Sterling H. was involved in evangelistic work and acted as treasurer for the mission. SHW and BBW stayed in Hunan until September 1950. Following Sterling H.'s study for an S.T.M. degree at Yale Divinity School, they returned to mission work in Hong Kong. Sterling H. assisted refugees at the Rennie's Mill Camp and worked with the Hong Kong Council, Church of Christ in China, organizing a Social Welfare Department for the Church. He also served as an interim director of Church World Service and helped found Chung Chi College. After taking his MSW degree while on furlough in 1965, he taught at the University of Hong Kong until 1967.