Mr. Whelihan

Alan Stuart Whelihan, eldest son of John F. Whelihan, Jr. and Dorothy Dodge Whelihan, died on July 4, 2024 in Frederick, Maryland at the age of 91. Mr. Whelihan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 17, 1932. 

He attended Germantown Friends School and then the William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Princeton University in 1954. He obtained his M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1960.

Mr. Whelihan worked for Philco Corporation in the Government and Industrial division before attending Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport Rhode Island. He served on the guided missile heavy cruiser, the U.S.S. Canberra and was in the Naval Reserves, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Mr. Whelihan worked for the Chemical Micro Company as plant manager, and then joined RCA Defense Electronic Products where he was involved in marketing magnetic recording equipment used in the Gemini lunar landing program. He later joined KPMG as a management consultant until he took a job with the Federal Supply Services as Assistant Commissioner for Standards and Quality Control. He was also involved with the custody and sale of the National Stockpile of Strategic and Critical Materials.

When the Metric Conversion Act and later amendments were passed by Congress and when the United States Metric Board was created, Mr. Whelihan was chosen to be Director of Planning and Coordination for the Metric Board. When Mr. Whelihan retired from government service, Mr. Whelihan turned to his longtime interest in collecting and restoring classic Lincoln and Mercedes cars and was the owner of Vintage Auto Warehouse.

Mr. Whelihan was deeply loved and will forever be missed by his many friends and family. Mr. Whelihan leaves behind his beloved wife, Joan, to whom he was married for 65 years, his four children, his six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. He is survived by his brothers, Bob and Bruce. Mr. Whelihan was preceded in death by his sister, Joan; his stepmother, Ruth Hinze Beck; and his grandson, Jamie.

Mr. Whelihan will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery. A private memorial service will be held at a later date.