1922 ~ 2003
LEHI, UTAH-<! >
Bob's soaring flight is over. The Eagle has landed. Family council will embrace him.
Robert Boyd White, born July 16, 1922 in Lehi, Utah, the 6th child of 7, to Dorothy Edith Stoker and Hanmer Jacob White. He lived 80 years. He died Feb. 13, 2003.
Bob lived and grew in Lehi, Utah County, attended Lehi schools, graduating in 1940. Joined the National Guard 222 Field Artillery Battalion in Lehi, Sept. 1940. Began active service, March 1941, 481st Amphibious Truck Company. He spent five years playing war games in the South Pacific. He came back a changed man, determined to live the life, the American dream he'd fought to preserve. He enrolled on the GI bill at the U of U, found a beautiful, intelligent, wise girl, Rhea Beatrice Larsen, and married her Feb. 8, 1947.
Determined to make some kind of difference and have FUN doing it, the couple joined organized clubs, fraternities, church, Lehi 5th, 9th, 2nd LDS Wards, Elks Tooele Lodge 1673, Provo 849, Provo Moose, Lehi Garden Club, '55-'59, winning national and state garden show awards and many civic contests. He was charter president of the Pleasant Grove Eagles Lodge 3372, Pleasant Grove and Utah State REAC President, card carrying member of LaSabre, Reds, LaCasa, Driggs, Arts, and other watering holes of the West. He served those organizations to the best of his ability. "You can do wonders if you don't care who gets the credit." He knew a leader is only as good as the people who follow. Politics was a must, but constant source of frustration being a Democrat in a Republican state. He would debate an issue to distraction, devil's advocate his favorite role. Articulate, opinionated, he was willing to let us know what he thought.
In his lifetime he had many jobs. He worked for Geneva Steel until their insurance company offered him an engineering job. He took the national board for boilers and pressure vessel inspectors and the Industrial Commission safety division exams. Company car, expense account, family security, the scenic West to roam, people of industry to meet, an occasional working vacation back East. The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company had themselves an agent who was in his element. Bob had a career from 1963 - 1983. He could boast inspecting every boiler in every school, church, industry and dam from Lehi to Page, Arizona. He loved Utah. We always knew what county he'd traveled to by the plants, animals, minerals, or products in his grub box treasure car trunk.
He is survived by "the prettiest girls in the whole family for our size and age," Katherine (Ed) Crossman, Lehi; Sherea (George) Schramm, Lehi; Wendy (Pervaiz) Dean, Ogden; Misti White, 13 grandkids, seven great-grandkids. Preceded in death by his wife, Rhea, and his son, Daman, and a great-grandson, and all of his brothers and sisters and parents.
It has been said the best thing a man can do for his children is to love and honor and cherish their mother, and he did. Farewell, Dad, your date awaits, in your Persian Garden.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, Feb. 20, 2003 at 11 a.m. in the Wing Mortuary Chapel, 118 E. Main, Lehi, where friends and family may call Wednesday evening from 6-8 p.m. with an Eagles' ceremony at 8 p.m., and Thursday one hour prior to services. Interment will be in the Lehi City Cemetery with military honors by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.