Mr. Zellars Whitlow III

In Remembrance Of Our Beloved Seller Whitlow, III: Zellars Whitlow III was born to the union of Zellars Whitlow Jr. and Shirley G. Whitlow-Gurley, both who preceded him in death, on March 30, 1958. He was the older of two children. He grew up in Detroit, Michigan and attended Cass Technical High School where he excelled in the Aero Space Program and was a proud participant of the R.O.T.C. Program. After graduation, he attended Wayne State University at which time he was employed by the Detroit Board of Education for a period of 36 years until retirement. During this time, he met and married Janice. To that union was born Zellars Whitlow IV and Jonathan David Whitlow, he also fathered Joshua Alexander Harris. He was a lover of music and had anything you wanted to hear. His sons often referred to him as “The Human Juke Box.” To know Zellars was to know that he was a “Treky!” He loved Star Trek, the early years and beyond and was an official on the Star Wars series. He loved comic books and past this love onto his three sons. Zellars was quite the performer. He was a talented drummer and played in several bands; and for those of you who remember the “Modibo Years” his involvement with the Afrocentric Theater Group; he was a talented actor performing in various plays throughout the city during the late 70s to early 80s. But most of all, the Man COULD TALK! He often cornered his nieces and nephews for hours on end talking about anything under the sun. During the life of Zellars, he would come upon challenges that would affect and alter his life greatly. Zellars was a proud member and sponsor of Alcoholics Anonymous at the Detroit Veteran’s Center where he devoted a great deal of his time. The thing he was most proud of was his 15 years of sobriety. He reminded us that every day was a challenge and he could not afford not to attend the meetings to get his “Check up from the neck up!” During this time, he returned to college obtaining his Bachelor’s Degree with a 4.0 GPA graduating Magna Cum Laude and until his untimely passing was pursuing his Masters! Zellars sponsored and worked effectively in the life of many he would come in contact with at the Vet Center for treatment. He is remembered fondly by his students at Mumford High School and the group he called “Stage Crew” who always remained in his heart. Zellars was big on family and loved to enjoy his cousins, aunts, uncles, and in-laws. The family can tell of the many nights of harmonizing in the mirror on Daily Ct with his cousins threatening to be the next Motown sensation, now the music is silent.

Mr. Zellars Whitlow III

March 30, 1958 - October 7, 2016