Reuben Waitman III

The Waitman family is saddened to inform you that Reuben Homer Waitman, III passed away on Tuesday, October 21st, 2025.

Reuben was preceded in passing by his parents, Reuben Homer Waitman, II and Marilyn Eilleen (Miller) Waitman of Lynnville, Indiana. Reuben is survived by his brother; Ross Waitman and wife Lorraine Pellicano–Waitman of Stone Ridge, New York; brother Evan Waitman and wife Rita Key-Waitman of Evansville, Indiana; brother Dana Waitman of Hammond, Indiana; and brother Mark Waitman and wife Heather Waitman of Florida, New York; cousin Gabriel Waitman of Evansville, Indiana; cousin Corliss Waitman of Evansville, Indiana; cousin Karen (Miller) Rothgerber and husband Ronald Rothgerber of Folsomville, Indiana; 5 nephews; 5 nieces; many great-nephews and great-nieces; and many 2nd and 3rd cousins.

Reuben graduated from Pearl River High School in Pearl River, New York in 1968. Reuben was interested in photography and attended the Germain School of Photography for a year. Reuben felt compelled to enlist in the U. S. Air Force, and hoped to be involved in reconnaissance work. After enlisting, he was trained to be an aircraft mechanic and assigned to the Strategic Air Command. Reuben later saw active duty as a B-52 mechanic at Udorn AFB in Thailand during the Vietnam War Era.

After he was discharged from the Air Force, Reuben attended the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio. He left the college after a year.

Reuben felt that he could earn a living as an aircraft mechanic, but he needed more training. Reuben completed training to become an FAA licensed Airframe and Powerplant mechanic at the Teterboro School of Aeronautics in Teterboro, New Jersey.

After graduation, Reuben accepted a position at Sikorsky Helicopters in Connecticut and initially worked building commercial helicopters. He was sometimes offered opportunities to perform maintenance on commercial helicopters in Europe which gave him the ability to visit and photograph sites in many countries. Reuben was later authorized to perform maintenance for the U. S. Presidential helicopters (Marine 1). He maintained the presidential helicopters during the Reagan years. Reuben later worked building Blackhawks, Seahawks and medical helicopters until he retired.

Reuben loved learning about the things that his younger brothers did in their jobs. He studied computer programming and learned how to build his own personal computers.

Reuben kept his love of photography through his life and owned several cameras. He always seemed to have a camera, wherever he went.

Reuben loved dogs and, though he never owned one, he never passed up an opportunity to pet and play with any dog he met. Dogs loved him too.

Reuben also became interested in genealogy and spent months researching the Waitman family tree back several generations.

After retiring, Reuben suffered several strokes. While recovering from his most recent stroke at a rehabilitation facility in Connecticut, Reuben had a fall. He was taken to the hospital where they discovered he had a large kidney stone. The doctor felt he was too weak to have the necessary procedure, so he was returned to the rehab facility to build up his strength, but he contracted pneumonia and just wasn’t able to fight it off. Reuben was 75 years old at his passing.

The Waitman family will be celebrating Reuben‘s life at the Titzer Family Funeral Home – Volkman Chapel at 200 Elm St in Elberfeld, Indiana on Monday, October 27th from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. Additional viewing will be available on Tuesday, October 28th from 9:00am until a brief ceremony at 10:00am. After traveling to Barnett Cemetery, a brief ceremony will be held at the gravesite, with full military honors.

Condolences may be made to Reuben's family on the Titzer Family Funeral Homes website.