Tolor Edgar White Sr.

Tolor Edgar White Sr. was born in Liberty, Mississippi and a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He entered into the arms of his heavenly Father on July 13, 2019 at the age of 85.999. He is survived in death by his daughter, Sandra Goins (Damon, Sr.) of Smyrna, Georgia; his sons, Tolor E. White, Jr. of Lake Charles, LA; Roederick C. White, Sr. (Lori) of Baton Rouge, LA and; seven grandchildren, Roederick, Jr. (Tiffany) of St. Louis, MO, Joseph (Tanika) of Baton Rouge, LA, Howard, Justin, Taylor, Damon, Jr and Destinee; his sisters, Josephine Thomas (Millard), Ruthie McElwee, Clara Baham (Oscar), Jessie Mae Watkins and Georgia Mae White; his brother, Benjamin White (Tammy); his sister-in-law, Gloria Amos; and his brother-in-laws, Hewitt Loupe and Reverend Leroy Sanders, Sr. and a host of relatives and friends. He was married to his childhood sweetheart Oranell Smith for 61 years. He served the United States of America as a soldier during the Korean War in the United States Army 24th Infantry Division, Military Police (MP). He was honorably discharged at the rank of Sergeant. He received the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. He earned his undergraduate degree from Southern University and A&M College. In addition, impressively, he received his Master of Business Administration Degree from Louisiana State University in the 1950’s during times of intense racial segregation and tension. He served the State of Louisiana as an employee of the Southern University System. “Mr. White” was intelligent, responsible, and a man of detail. When recently asked by the nurse at the hospital his pain level on a scale from 1 to 10, he paused, thought and responded, “about a 7.5”. Known for his quote, “one second at a time”, he went on to retire with 55 years of service. He was named Vice President for Finance and Business Affairs and Comptroller Emeritus of the Southern University System and received an Honorary Doctorate of Business in 2010. Mr. White held impressive memberships in the Conference of Louisiana Colleges and Universities, the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, the National Academy of Public Administration, the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, the National Association of University Business Officers and the Association of American Colleges and Universities. He was a licensed real estate broker, tax accountant, consultant to various small businesses, and a previously licensed property and casualty insurance agent. He was preceded in death by his wife, Oranell White, his daughter, Desiree White Smith, his mother and father, Joseph and Inez White and two sisters, Girlia Sanders and Melva Batieste.