Elizabeth M. Whitney, a long time resident of St. Petersburg, Florida, passed away peacefully at her home on Tuesday, July 19, 2016.Born in Geneva, Ohio on February 13, 1925, she graduated from Geneva High School and went on to the Ohio State University where she became the first woman editor of the O.S.U. newspaper “The Lantern”.

Elizabeth married Robert Whitney in Geneva in 1949. They had two sons: Jim and Ken Whitney. In 1954, the family moved to Florida to help her mother and father, Frances G Miller and J. Earl Miller develop the “New Town” Ridge Manor, Florida. When her father died in 1960, she accepted the position of real estate editor of the St. Petersburg Times. At “The Times”, she excelled in journalism and went on to be the first women business editor of a major U.S. newspaper. There, she is remembered as one of the first business columnists to foretell the collapse of the savings and loan industry and its relationship to real estate.

Elizabeth received numerous journalism awards including the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors’ grand prize “for the best single piece of journalism done by a Florida newsman in 1970” and two nominations for the Pulitzer Prize. She travelled the world on news reporting. A tireless worker, Elizabeth finished her amazing career at the St. Petersburg Times after her 28-year tenure.

She is survived by her grandson, Scott; daughters-in-law, Jane Whitney and Mazy Hagerty Whitney; sister-in-law, Yvonne H. Miller; nieces, Sarah (Denis) Bergeron and Mary Miller; nephews, Jamie (Margie) Miller and Robbie Miller.

She was preceded in death by her sons, James R. Whitney and Kenneth S. Whitney; mother, Frances G. Miller; father, J. Earl Miller; and brother, James E. Miller.

A memorial service was held July 25, 2016 in St. Petersburg, Florida. A future memorial service will be held in September 2016 in Geneva, Ohio with dates to be announced.

The Behm Family Funeral Home of Geneva is assisting the family at this time

Friends may leave condolences online at www.behmfuneral.com