The Shadow
Chad Whitmer, former associate director at Boy’s Home of Virginia, has accepted the headmaster position at Buffalo Creek Boys School in Lexington, Va.
Whitmer assumed his new position on June 1 after being employed by Boy’s Home since 2013, the year he resigned from the U.S. Army to join his wife, Laura Bird Whitmer, as an employee there.
Born on May 31, 1984, Chad became a resident at Boy’s Home in April of 1999, after arriving there from Staunton.
“I was one month shy of turning 14 at the time,” Chad recalled.
Chad remained at Boy Boys Home until he graduated from Alleghany High School in 2004.
He remembered, “During the summer between my junior and senior year, I enlisted in the U.S. Army and went to Fort Benning, Ga. for basic training.”
He said, “After I graduated from high school, I went back to Fort Benning to attend infantry school.”
After he completed his training in infantry school, he enrolled at Liberty University and attended military training every month while at L. U.
Halfway through his undergraduate studies at L. U., Chad married Laura, his high school sweetheart, on July 22, 2006. The couple have three children, Savanah, 13; David, 9; and Sarah-Elizabeth, two.
Chad credits Boys Home Director Donnie Wheatley, who was employed by Boys Home for 36 years before recently retiring, for the guidance he rendered to help him in his decision making that led him to enlist in the Army.
Two weeks after Chad and Laura were wed, Chad was deployed overseas, the first of a number of overseas deployments.
After he returned in 2008, Chad resumed his studies at L. U., where Laura had graduated with a bachelor’s of science in Biblical studies.
After joining Laura at Boys Home, Chad earned a bachelor’s degree in cognitive psychology in 2009 while he and Laura were serving as house parents at Boys Home.
Chad noted, “I finished my service at Boys Home of Virginia as the associate director.”
On June 1, Chad assumed his role as headmaster of the Buffalo Creek Boys School.
“Buffalo Creek Boys School is a classical Christian program that serves students in grades six through eight,” he pointed out.
As for his military service, Chad offered, “I resigned while attending officer candidate school at Fort Rucker, Ala. because Laura was pregnant with our second child, and I wanted to better focus on my service to my ministry at Boys Home.”
While being employed by Boys Home, Chad continued his education at L.U. where he earned a master’s degree in business administration in 2014 and a master’s of divinity degree in 2018.
Chad concluded, “I am currently working on a ThM in Biblical studies, and I will begin a Ph.D. upon completion.”
Living in Rockbridge County will shorten Chad’s drive to L. U. in Lynchburg while he continues to pursue his educational goal of earning a Ph.D.
