West Valley, UT – Our beloved sweetheart (husband), father, grandfather, great-grandfather & great-great-grandfather, passed away surrounded by his loving family on July 18, 2018. Ray was born on October 19, 1926, in Richfield Utah, to Christina and Ira White. He was the 9th of 10 children in a family of 8 boys and 2 girls. Ray served in the Navy during World War II for 2 years. In 1951, he married his eternal sweetheart, Gertrude Lillian Johnson White, in which they have enjoyed 68 wonderful years together. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple for time and all eternity on May 1, 1961. Ray owned his own roofing company for 55 years and was greatly respected for his work ethic. He was the 3rd person to be put into the Roofer’s Hall of Fame in Utah. He loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and spending time with his family. Some of the fondest memories include family trips to Disneyland, Fish Lake, Yellowstone, and Lake Powell. Ray loved to snow ski in the winter and spend his summer’s water skiing, where he loved to show off skiing with his foot in the rope and no hands. He lived a life of service to others, including cleaning other’s walkways during storms. One of his greatest loves and acts of service was the time he spent working with the Scouts, in which he received the highest award in scouting, The Silver Beaver. Ray was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and loved and lived the gospel, setting an example for his family and those around him. He served in the Bishopric, as a high councilman, and as stake young men’s president, but he had a special place in his heart for teaching his Sunday school class. In 1994, he served a mission with his sweetheart, Gertie, in the Little Rock Arkansas Mission. Ray and Gertie also enjoyed traveling together all over the country and world. Not only was Ray a wonderful and devoted husband, he also was an amazing father to his children and their companions: Arden and Kathy White, Karen and Ernest Morgan, Ken and Jan White, Brent and Julie White, and Trudi and Bryan Holt. One of his greatest joys was spending time with his 18 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, 6 great-great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by his daughter, Raedean Helen Peterson, son, David Ray Pellum, his parents and his siblings.
A special thanks goes out to his nurse, Stacy, for all of her loving care.
A viewing will be held on Wednesday, July 25, 2018, from 6 to 8 pm at the Hunter East Stake Center, 5000 West Pavant Ave., West Valley, Utah. Funeral services will be held at the same location at 11 am on Thursday, July 26. A brief viewing will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 prior to the services. Interment will be at the Valley View Memorial Park.
