Rebecca W. White

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Rebecca W. White, age 59, on February 7, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. Rebecca was a fighter and lost a long 14-year battle with breast cancer.

Born on June 30, 1965, to her parents, Edward and Rose Marie Wiegand, in Williamsburg, Virginia, Rebecca was part of a military family and moved many times. In 1983, she graduated from Daniel Hand High School in Madison, Connecticut. Looking to attend a college in a warm weather state, she decided on St. Leo University in sunny Florida. It was at St. Leo that she met the love of her life, Kenneth White, during their freshman year. From then on, their love never ended. Rebecca received her B.A.in business from St. Leo in 1987 and was first employed with Connecticut National Bank where she worked in federal funds.

In 1989, Rebecca and Ken married at the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut. Rebecca joined Ken in Los Angeles where he was working at Wilshire Country Club as an assistant golf professional and Rebecca soon began working as an underwriter for an insurance company. The couple welcomed their one and only daughter, Samantha, in 1991.

The family of three moved to Santa Maria, California, in 1995 when Ken took a new job as head golf professional at Santa Maria Country Club. Rebecca spent countless hours at the club where she oversaw the pro shop’s clothing. She enjoyed sports and, while at the club, became involved with tennis and golf. She was also a devout Catholic and participated in a small Catholic faith community made up of groups of families, which was an outreach program of her church, St. Louis de Montfort.

In 2010, Rebecca and Ken moved to Englewood, Florida, where they purchased a restaurant called Howard’s. The couple were proud owners and directed majority of their time and efforts to the business until they sold the restaurant in 2020. That same year, Rebecca became a first-time Grammie to her newborn Grandson, Kenneth Lucas Bair. She was a loving and nurturing person and enjoyed sharing her knowledge of life, religion, as well as cooking and baking skills with Luke.

As a devoted Catholic, she was very involved at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, Florida, through Emmaus Women and Bible study. Rebecca enjoyed traveling and one of her favorite trips was to the Holy Land in 2022 with friends from Epiphany Cathedral during which they followed in the footsteps of Jesus.

Other travels centered around Rebecca and Ken’s shared love of golf, which took them on many golfing adventures including two trips to Ireland (2002 and 2024), Hawaii, all over Florida, and to many other courses across the United States.

Rebecca is survived by her beloved husband of 35 years, Ken; her daughter Samantha Bair, son-in-marriage Evan Bair, grandchildren Kenneth Lucas (4), and Shaun Michael (1); her sisters Melissa Wiegand, Kristin Domian, and her brother Edward Wiegand. She was preceded in death by her parents.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 15, at 10:30 a.m. at Epiphany Cathedral Catholic Church Parish Hall in Venice. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School’s Annual Fund for the school children in honor of Rebecca White (mail to: 316 Sarasota Street, Venice, FL 34285).