Obituary for John W White
John W. White, 91, of Gettysburg, died March 21, 2016 at the SpiriTrust Lutheran Village, Gettysburg.
He was born October 17, 1924 in Liberty Township at the family farm, the son of the late Eston E. and Blanche (McCleaf) White. He was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Hope Spicer White, who died on July 12, 2011.
John was a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Gettysburg where he served on the consistory and taught Sunday school. He graduated from Fairfield High School in 1942, a charter member of the Mason-Dixon chapter of the Future Farmers of America. He served in the U.S. Army for three years and was a member of the First Engineer Special Brigade Amphibious and participated in the invasion of Normandy, landing on Utah Beach. He was also a survivor of the Exercise Tiger tragedy in the English Channel in April 1944. He graduated from the University of Maryland in 1950 and taught vocational agriculture in Caroline County on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. In 1953 he returned to Adams County and taught vocational agriculture at Biglerville High School for 27 ½ years and also served as advisor to the Upper Adams Young Adult Farmers Association. While at Biglerville he obtained a master’s degree from Penn State. He was awarded the Honorary Keystone Degree by the Pennsylvania FFA Association, served as President and Secretary of the Adams-Franklin Vocational Agriculture teachers association, and was class advisor to the classes of 1959 and 1963 at BHS. During his teaching career he was a cooperating instructor for Agricultural Education at Penn State University, supervising students during their teaching internships, and served as an adjunct instructor with the PSU staff. Later he taught Power Technology at North Carroll High School in Hampstead Maryland. Mr. White was a member of the Adams County, Pennsylvania State, and National Education Associations as well as the Upper Adams retired teachers group. After his retirement from teaching in 1980, he was employed by the Dobbin House for 20 years, where he had many friends. In addition to his commitment to education, John was active in Democratic Party politics and the Democratic Club and served as a committee member in Cumberland Township. In 2006 he received the Life Time Service Award from the Adams County Democratic Committee for which he had served as Secretary.
In his younger days John was an avid hunter and taught hunting safety at Biglerville for many years. He was also a lifetime lover of baseball and an enthusiastic fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. In retirement he enjoyed gardening and traveling.
John is survived by his son, Daniel J. White and wife Betsy Beach of Gettysburg; his daughter, Jane H. White and partner Dawn Knipmeyer of Conshohocken; his daughter-in-law, Tonya K. White of Arendtsville; four beloved granddaughters, Caitlin M. White (Pat Armor), Alexa A. White (Chris Cunningham), Esther B. White, and Eleanor B. White; a sister, Mary Chaney, of Waynesboro, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his son John R. White; brothers, Eston White and Richard White; and sister Alice Reynolds. In his later years he re-connected with and was blessed with the companionship and devotion of a very special childhood friend, Mabert Anderson, who he loved dearly.
The Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, March 24th 2016 at Trinity United Church of Christ 60 E. High Street, Gettysburg. The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Interment will take place at Evergreen Cemetery, Gettysburg following the funeral services. The family will also receive friends at Trinity UCC on Wednesday evening March 23rd 2016 from 6-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Trinity United Church of Christ 60 E. High St., Gettysburg PA 17325 or SpiriTrust Lutheran Hospice, 260 W. High St. Gettysburg PA 17325.
Read More
He was born October 17, 1924 in Liberty Township at the family farm, the son of the late Eston E. and Blanche (McCleaf) White. He was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Hope Spicer White, who died on July 12, 2011.
John was a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Gettysburg where he served on the consistory and taught Sunday school. He graduated from Fairfield High School in 1942, a charter member of the Mason-Dixon chapter of the Future Farmers of America. He served in the U.S. Army for three years and was a member of the First Engineer Special Brigade Amphibious and participated in the invasion of Normandy, landing on Utah Beach. He was also a survivor of the Exercise Tiger tragedy in the English Channel in April 1944. He graduated from the University of Maryland in 1950 and taught vocational agriculture in Caroline County on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. In 1953 he returned to Adams County and taught vocational agriculture at Biglerville High School for 27 ½ years and also served as advisor to the Upper Adams Young Adult Farmers Association. While at Biglerville he obtained a master’s degree from Penn State. He was awarded the Honorary Keystone Degree by the Pennsylvania FFA Association, served as President and Secretary of the Adams-Franklin Vocational Agriculture teachers association, and was class advisor to the classes of 1959 and 1963 at BHS. During his teaching career he was a cooperating instructor for Agricultural Education at Penn State University, supervising students during their teaching internships, and served as an adjunct instructor with the PSU staff. Later he taught Power Technology at North Carroll High School in Hampstead Maryland. Mr. White was a member of the Adams County, Pennsylvania State, and National Education Associations as well as the Upper Adams retired teachers group. After his retirement from teaching in 1980, he was employed by the Dobbin House for 20 years, where he had many friends. In addition to his commitment to education, John was active in Democratic Party politics and the Democratic Club and served as a committee member in Cumberland Township. In 2006 he received the Life Time Service Award from the Adams County Democratic Committee for which he had served as Secretary.
In his younger days John was an avid hunter and taught hunting safety at Biglerville for many years. He was also a lifetime lover of baseball and an enthusiastic fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. In retirement he enjoyed gardening and traveling.
John is survived by his son, Daniel J. White and wife Betsy Beach of Gettysburg; his daughter, Jane H. White and partner Dawn Knipmeyer of Conshohocken; his daughter-in-law, Tonya K. White of Arendtsville; four beloved granddaughters, Caitlin M. White (Pat Armor), Alexa A. White (Chris Cunningham), Esther B. White, and Eleanor B. White; a sister, Mary Chaney, of Waynesboro, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his son John R. White; brothers, Eston White and Richard White; and sister Alice Reynolds. In his later years he re-connected with and was blessed with the companionship and devotion of a very special childhood friend, Mabert Anderson, who he loved dearly.
The Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, March 24th 2016 at Trinity United Church of Christ 60 E. High Street, Gettysburg. The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Interment will take place at Evergreen Cemetery, Gettysburg following the funeral services. The family will also receive friends at Trinity UCC on Wednesday evening March 23rd 2016 from 6-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Trinity United Church of Christ 60 E. High St., Gettysburg PA 17325 or SpiriTrust Lutheran Hospice, 260 W. High St. Gettysburg PA 17325.
Previous Events
Service
Thursday
24
Mar
11:00 AM
Trinity United Church of Christ
60 East High Street
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Cemetery Details
Location
Evergreen Cemetery
799 Baltimore St.
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Memorial Contribution
Trinity United Church of Christ
60 East High Street
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Gettysburg, PA 17325
SpiriTrust Hospice, 260 West High Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325
Loading...