Mr George Ab or Whitey Albert White

Mr George Albert White was a modest man, quiet and observant in his ways. He was trustworthy and traditional in his approach to his life and in his relationships. He was tough-minded with the kind of “stick to it” attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. He was also a man who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything he undertook. Realistic about life, he was always at the ready, prepared to take on responsibility.

      Ab or Whitey was born on December 13, 1919 at Port Lock Ontario- in Port Lock Ontario. His parents were George and Elizabeth White. Ab or Whitey was raised in Port Lock Ontario. He was brought up to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.

      Growing up in the White household was a bit different than most homes. There were good times to be had, but just as often there was a fair share of challenges as well. However, Ab or Whitey was able to work through the usual family problems when they appeared, and he was the one person in the family who seemed able to keep the stress at bay. Ab or Whitey was raised with eleven siblings. He had Harry, Alvin, Gordon, Art, Mert, Maurice, Vera, Gerald, Elizabeth, Gloria and Raymond. Ab or Whitey was constantly involved in activities with his brothers and sisters. Ab or Whitey and his siblings may have had the typical rivalries while growing up but Ab or Whitey was always consistently loyal to his family.

      As a young child, Ab or Whitey was never someone who needed to be the center of attention. He wasn’t pushy and never forced his way into games or other activities. Ab or Whitey developed a variety of interests, though, and the things he enjoyed doing he did well. He was always curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. Ab or Whitey took part in fishing. Farm Kid attended one room schoolhouse up to grade 8. However, what Ab or Whitey enjoyed most was simply playing and spending time with his many friends.

      While his teachers and even his friends generally thought of Ab or Whitey as being a serious person, he managed to have a pretty good time in high school as he made that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was Rachel Hunter. Ab or Whitey was a very logical person who enjoyed learning about factual information. Using his exceptional memory, he was able to learn much through observation. Ab or Whitey always seemed to have a command of the facts and was able to make it seem as though he could easily master any problem that might be presented to him.

      Always considered to be a solid friend, Ab or Whitey was fortunate to have numerous acquaintances and several very close friends during his life. Since he disliked making generalizations about people and preferred to draw his own conclusions based on direct observation, Ab or Whitey was able to see beneath the surface of relationships and became a true friend to those who knew him. He was committed to his friends and valued the trust he placed in them. It was not uncommon for Ab or Whitey to go beyond the call of duty for others, and friends frequently sought him out for advice because he had a knack for coming up with practical solutions to any type of dilemma. Later in life, he became friends with Joe Boston, Pat Calvey, Joe Fasenello, Ed Nicholson, Stu & Frank Smith, Andy Clark and many other fishing friends and taxi associates.

       Devoted to Elaine, Ab or Whitey held strong values and commitment about work and family life. He took the responsibility of both to heart, giving them his total commitment. He was a source of strength using his gifts of nurturing one-on-one relationships. He worked hard to make a happy family life; both for him and those around him..

      Ab or Whitey brought the same values to bear on how he helped raise his children. He was most often absent but was always aware of family goings on. He was a good parent, always firm yet fair in his dealings. He would listen carefully and think things through before he acted, even when it was an adverse situation. Most weekends were spent on family outings and we always managed to enjoy Sunday dinner together. Ab or Whitey was blessed with three children + one step child, two daughters - Marie and Cheryle, one son - Steven, one stepdaughter - Vicki. They were also blessed with five grandchildren, Leslie, Tim, Michelle, Mitchell and Jason.

      Ab or Whitey greatly enjoyed what he did for a living. He was a hard worker who expected the same in return from his co-workers. He spent many hours as a taxi owner/operator which meant that during the week he was home very little. He was skilled at working effectively in small groups and in one-on-one situations as well as handling solo assignments efficiently. Ab or Whitey enjoyed dealing with concrete ideas and could penetrate any amount of fuzzy information to reach the essential facts. Always able to attend to the task at hand, Ab or Whitey was excellent at meeting deadlines. He was an efficient worker, one who paid careful attention to detail, allowing sufficient time to complete one task before moving on to the next. His primary occupation was Taxi owner of Union Cab. He tried logging, diamond drilling, steel works at ASC, truck driving and taxi driving. Ab or Whitey worked hard to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

      Ab or Whitey liked to experience things first-hand as well as learn about them. This trait carried over into his hobbies, where he was very methodical in how he organized his activities and categorized things. Since he enjoyed his private time, Ab or Whitey always tried to allocate a specific time for working on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were fishing and hunting. Ab or Whitey was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others. He willingly past his love of hunting and fishing on to his son and grandsons.

      Many organizations were grateful to have Ab or Whitey as a member, since he always brought with him a “stick to it” attitude and a high degree of common sense. Using straightforward methods to successfully complete the job, Ab or Whitey was a great planner who was well organized. He always seemed to know exactly what needed to be done. Throughout his later years, Ab or Whitey was a member of the Moose Lodge-Sault Michigan.

      Ab or Whitey enjoyed traveling and taking vacations. Since he was an early starter and had a knack for planning everything, traveling with Ab or Whitey appeared effortless. Plus, no matter where he traveled, Ab or Whitey always had a back up plan at the ready, just in case. Favorite vacations included fishing Lake Superior, hunting in Algoma and sometimes driving north or out west.

      Ab or Whitey was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Ab or Whitey’s favorites was Randy, then Sam, then Bear and Elliott - all dogs. They were best friends for many years.

      When Ab or Whitey’s retirement finally arrived in approximately 1978. He always trusted and placed value in what was logical and in the things he knew, so he was very confident when he made the decision to retirement. His new life involved relocating to Goulais River. In retirement, he found pleasure in gardening, cooking, fishing and bird watching and tending bird feeders. Even in retirement, Ab or Whitey continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He enjoyed having his grandchildren and family visit. His favourite meal was his homemade spaghetti and meatballs.

      Mr George Albert White passed away on January 26, 2012 at Sault Area Hospital, Sault Ste Marie, ON. Complications from Pneumonia. He is survived by Elaine, his children, some brothers and sisters, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Services were held at Arthur Funeral Home. Ab or Whitey will be laid to rest in the spring.

      Commitment is a key word that can be used to describe the life of Mr George Albert White. He was committed to living the life of a good man who was both practical and trustworthy. He was committed to the values that he upheld his entire life. He committed himself to being a hard worker who expected the same effort in return from those around him. Most of all, he was committed to those he knew and loved.

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WHITE, George Albert (Ab) – On Thursday, January 26, 2012 at the Sault Area Hospital at the age of 92. Beloved companion of Elaine and dear father of Marie (Ray), Cheryle (late Vic), Vicki (Rod) and Steven. Loving grandfather of Tim (Michelle), Michelle (Troy), Leslie, Mitchell and Jason. Great grandfather of 4. Brother of the late Harry, late Alvin, Gordon (late Jean) late Art, Late Mert (late Pat), Maurice, Vera (late Armand), late Gerald (Carol), Elizabeth (Keith), Gloria and Raymond (Jean). A memorial service will be held at the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Monday, January 30, 2012 at 1 pm in the chapel. Memorial contributions to the Alzheimer Society, A.R.C.H. or the Sault Search and Rescue would be appreciated.