DAKOTA WILLIAM OMAR WHITLOW

MUSCATINE, Iowa – Dakota William Omar Whitlow, 32, tragically lost his life along with his mother and 4 siblings on June 1st, 2026. 

Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Friday, June 12, 2026, at the Wittich Riley Freers Funeral Home. Online condolences: www.wittichfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be made to the Muscatine Center of Social Action (MCSA) for funding the domestic abuse shelter.

Graveside Service will be Friday, June 12, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. in Greenwood Cemetery. There will be a Celebration of Life planned at a later date. 

Dakota was born in Muscatine, Iowa, on December 13th, 1993, to Lesa Ann Purinton and Jeffrey William Whitlow Sr. 

Dakota was an incredible metal fabricator with a huge love for cars and motorcycles. Dakota dedicated his adult life to restoring classic cars. He was a business owner, having established DW Designs LLC in late 2025. DW Designs was established as a continuation of Willits Metalworks, where Dakota worked alongside his best friend Brison Willits, prior to Brison’s unexpected passing in August of 2025. Dakota was humbled that the Willits family entrusted him to continue Brison’s legacy, and Dakota’s final months were primarily spent down at the shop honoring the legacy he and Brison were working so hard to build together. His talent is a huge loss to the local car community and the automotive restoration industry as a whole. The surviving family would like to thank the local car community for their years of friendship, laughter, and support.

Dakota enjoyed working on his cars and motorcycles, artistic beadrolling, kayaking, dirt bikes, playing PokemonGo with his fiancée Audrey and his brother Austin, listening to music (particularly the artists Charley Crockett, Tyler Childers, and Sierra Ferrell), watching YouTube videos (specifically the channel Tom’s Refurb, along other automotive content), and spending time with his beloved cat Bandit. Dakota was incredibly proud of his nieces and nephews and deeply valued any time he got to share with them. Dakota’s personal project car was a 1930 Chevy Coupe, which was of course chopped, engine swapped, and made to be as loud and as fast as possible. Dakota was excited that he was getting close to completing his project car and looked forward to enjoying the fruits of his labor. Dakota had also purchased a 2001 Corvette C5 Z06 about 8 weeks prior to his passing, which had been his dream car since childhood. Dakota’s loved ones are so glad that he was able to fulfill both of his childhood dreams: having his own shop and owning a C5.

Dakota is survived by fiancée Audrey Perdue, brothers Johnathan McFarland, Jason Whitlow, and Jeffrey Whitlow JR, sister Jennifer Whitlow, nieces Kylie, Aliza, Jasmine, EverLee, and Zoey, nephews Cesar, Cencer, Anthony, Alexander, Brandon, and Cassius, siblings in law Vanessa, Nidza, Alina, Katilynn, and Dylan, good friends Brian Willits, Sue Willits, Nicole Willits, and Carl Gerst, honorary niece Delta Schwandke Parker (Stephenee Schwandke and Dalton Parker), several uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, and nephews, and his best friend Bandit. 

He is preceded in death by his father Jeff Whitlow Sr, his best friend Brison Willits, his maternal grandparents Penny and Rich Powell, and his paternal grandfather Bill Whitlow Sr.

Dakota lost his life alongside his mother, Lesa, his brothers Austin Harris, Mark McFarland, and Ryan McFarland Jr, and his sister Ryle McFarland.

In memory of Dakota, Audrey is requesting that everyone find a reason to laugh at least once a day. Dakota was a huge jokester and loved to make people smile. The best way to honor Dakota is to smile, laugh, and drive a cool car! You can also remember Dakota by listening to his favorite music artist, Charley Crockett.