Justice Whiting steps down from senior status

After 54 years in law, Virginia Supreme Court Senior Justice Henry H. Whiting of Winchester has retired. He stepped down from senior status on July 17.

The court observed the occasion by convening in the city for the first time in its history. The justices arrived the day before, to fete Whiting at a reception organized by the Winchester-Frederick County Bar Association and the Northern Shenandoah Valley chapter of the Virginia Women Attorneys Association.

Whiting plans to keep active in retirement. His interests include gardening, needlework (his mother taught it to him), bicycling (he usually starts the day with a ride around 5:30 a.m.) and reading (especially histories and biographies). He also is considering traveling to Europe and the British Isles.

A World War II veteran, Whiting served on Gen. George S. Patton’s staff. He started law school when he was discharged from the Army, at age 23. He became a Winchester circuit judge in 1980, and was elected to the high court in 1987.

Whiting at first rejected the idea of the Supreme Court honoring him on his home turf.

“I don’t like a big fuss made about myself,” he said. “But they insisted on doing it. It’s been a real heart-warming two days for me,” he told The Winchester Star.

Of his retirement, he said, “I feel like a kid getting out of school. … [Every case every day was a learning process. I’ve had a good career and because of that I’ve had a good life.”