John Whiting, a Whitewater rancher and developer, Republican Party stalwart, LDS bishop, entrepreneur and Western entertainer, died Monday at his home. He was 75.

Into those 75 years, Whiting packed some unsuccessful runs for the Mesa County Commission, but he was the only two-time county Republican party chairman. He was a bishop in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and he led his family in offering a Western review at the Hanging W Ranch in Whitewater.

“You never wondered where John was on any issue,” said Mesa County Assessor Barbara Brewer. “He wasn’t afraid to tell you.

“The valley has lost a strong voice for private property rights and for conservative values.”

Whiting was active in the LDS church as well as in local politics, said Kelly Summers.

“He was my friend, he was my client and he was my bishop,” Summers said. “He was a great guy.”

In the Hanging W review, Whiting sang tenor, Summers said.

Whiting was an avid student of scripture, Brewer said.

“Some of my best gospel discussions were with him,” she said. She often consulted him on scripture lessons and, “We would talk for hours at night. He was somebody I always looked to for help and advice.”

Gary Roahrig, now the chairman of the Mesa County GOP, said he turned frequently enough to Whiting for advice on political matters that he nicknamed Whiting “the Godfather.”

“Everybody always went to John for counsel,” Roahrig said. “He would cause you to think clearly and thoroughly about the issue. He never did try to make the decision for you.”

He was, in the words of Kent Baughman, a protege of Whiting, “a consummate Reagan Republican.”

Yet he also sought out ways to work with people with whom he disagreed, Baughman said, noting that Whiting chaired the county’s work on drafting a junk ordinance.

Mesa County Republicans in December honored Whiting and his wife, Lois, for their years of service and Whiting recently attended a meeting of former GOP party heads to prepare for the 2008 election.

“He was looking very much forward to participating in the election cycle this time,” Baughman said. “He was incredible in his knowledge and strategy.”

Much of the current development of Whitewater could be attributed to his work on behalf of private-property rights, friends said.

“He was one man who gave his heart and soul to his community,” said Kathy Hall, whose successful bid for county commissioner was launched under Whiting’s party chairmanship.

Whiting “certainly made a difference in a lot of campaigns,” said Tom Burke, who ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate and now serves on the state Wildlife Commission.

“He worked tirelessly to champion Republican ideals and philosophies,” Burke said. “He was always good at bringing people to the table and was a good consensus builder.

“His family and friends can be proud of what he did.”

He is survived by his wife, Lois, children Craig, Selinda, Gary, Ralph, Eugene, Lisa and Steven and 37 grandchildren.

Services are pending at Callahan-Edfast Mortuary.

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E-mail Gary Harmon at gharmon@gjds.com.