Whitford, William Edward, 1902-1984.

During his 45 years working for Duke, Whitford served as building inspector, facilities coordinator, Director of Operations and Maintenance, assistant business manager for the University and senior consultant in engineering affairs.

Whitford's history at Duke University spanned virtually fifty years; first as a student, then as an employee; finally as a manager. For almost forty years, he was in charge of the Physical Plant operations and Maintenance for the Duke campuses.

William Edward Whitford was an undergraduate at Trinity College in Durham, NC, where he served as a laboratory assistant in physics and organized the school's first student laundry system. After graduating in 1927, he became an employee of Duke University, and in 1930, he became the first resident of West Campus. During his 45 years working for Duke, he served as building inspector, facilities coordinator, Director of Operations and Maintenance, assistant business manager for the University and senior consultant in engineering affairs and planted many of the oak trees on Duke's West Campus. He died in 1984.