On October 29, 1947, Phenia and John W. Whitsett Sr. introduced their remarkable son to the world, John West Whitsett Jr., who was also known as Junior, Night Rider, Skid Row, Daddy, and Big Man.

John was the eighth child of ten siblings, including six sisters and four brothers. They all called him Junior.  His baby brother described him as a young child who was very headstrong and outgoing.  Junior dropped out of middle school to become a farmer to help provide for his family.  Being a farmer at an early age, he learned his first life lesson, "There was always something to do, and there was always a solution to every problem."  Junior's problem was that more than farming was needed to satisfy his dream.  Ultimately, he decided that the solution was to move to Massachusetts with his older sibling.

Massachusetts was a new world for Junior.  With thousands of jobs openings to choose from, his dream was to become a truck driver.  He applied for a job as a truck driver at a local sanitation company; however, he had no clue how to drive a sanitation truck—but he was determined to be a truck driver.  He convinced the sanitation company that he was the best man with the skills and knowledge to operate an 18-ton truck carrying up to 55,000 pounds (about 24947.56 kg) throughout the community. The company hired him but never knew he had no skills or expertise in operating this heavy equipment. This began his trucking career where he became known as Night Rider.

Even though truck driving was Night Rider's passion, he never closed the door to explore other jobs.  He once was a saxophone player in a band at the nightclub. He was even hired as a janitor at a hospital.  As a hobby, he enjoyed street racing cars, but one night, he lost control of his vehicle and woke up in the hospital badly injured. Nightrider truly enjoyed his years in Massachusetts.  Later, he returned to his hometown of Leesburg, Georgia, where his friends called him Skid Row. Continuing his adventures as a truck driver, he worked for many of Albany's top trucking companies and traveled all over America. He was known for working at some of the top trucking companies in   Albany, Georgia.

John once worked for P&G and Reeves Construction.  But the problem was that he desired more.  One day, he met a very beautiful and loving woman, Althea.  Skid Row took on the responsibility of loving her two sons, Cornelius and Antonio; and later, they had a daughter, Chiquina.   John figured out the solution to his problem and, thereafter, married the love of his life, Althea.  To his children, he was Daddy—the greatest man of all.

John enjoyed being a family man and later was called Big Man.  He was well known in the community, especially by the neighborhood children. If you needed your bike fixed, a knock on the door and asking to speak to Big Man was all that was required.  He became even more popular with the neighborhood kids after turning his backyard into the neighborhood basketball court.  Big Man cleared the grass away in his backyard and built a basketball goal out of the tallest tree in his yard. There was just one rule--do not walk or cut through the grass in the front yard.

Bigman enjoyed his life to the fullest. He enjoyed fishing, bowling, inventing gadgets, watching action movies, and listening to music while cooking. After more than 45 years, Nightrider retired from driving trucks at Southern Concrete and realized there was yet another problem.  How could he dedicate his life to Jehovah? After serious contemplation, he realized that the solution was to be a baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses; symbolizing his dedication to Jehovah God.  There, he was called Brother Whitsett.

John W. Whitsett transitioned from this earthly life on December 10, 2023, at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital while holding his wife's hand and surrounded by those who loved him.  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by six siblings: Mary Lee Smith, Jesse Whitsett, James Whitsett, Minnie Mae Carter, Lula Bell Green, and Flora Lee Deariso.

Loving memories will forever be cherished by his wife, Althea Whitsett; his daughter, Chiquina Whitsett; stepsons, Cornelius (Antoinette) Simmions and Antonio Simmions; siblings, Barbara (Wille) Keith, Ulysses Whitsett, and Robert Whitsett; 15 grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family, and friends.