Mr. James A. Jim Alton White

James Alton White, aged 84, passed into the arms of his Savior on October 26, 2017, in Roseville, California. He was born May 25, 1933, in Wesson, Mississippi, the son of James Oliver and Edith Ray White.

Dad grew up on a dairy farm in rural Mississippi where he learned to hunt, fish, garden, and developed his ability to fix anything. After the family returned from New Orleans working to support the war effort, Dad helped his father establish their family dairy farm. He was 10 years old at the time.

In April 1953 Dad joined the Army and served three years during the Korean War. While in the army he trained as a member of the military police and served in the motor pool. According to Dad, his job was to drive around the “old man” AKA the base commander.

Before Dad went into the Army, he met our Mom, Verna, with the help of his uncle, who asked Mom out on a date on Dad’s behalf. It’s apparent now that the date was a success as this past September, Mom and Dad celebrated 64 years of marriage.

1955 was the beginning of what became the large White family with the birth of Jamie. Over the next 15 years, Donna, Ray, Rick, Dan, and Jon were added to the clan. In the following years sons and daughters-in-law were added to the family. In short order, 11 grandchildren were added to the clan, followed in later years by 11 great-grandchildren. He was always glad when the kids arrived to spend time with he and Mom and was interested to hear what was going on in their lives. Whenever possible they attended their activities. Dad loved sharing his garden with them letting them help him grow watermelons, tomatoes, and dig potatoes. Dad also enjoyed having the resource of their expertise particularly their skills in computers and sound systems.

Dad was a caring, but strict father who held us to high standards of behavior and taught us the value of hard work. His enthusiasm for school projects that involved “hands on” building was not always appreciated by us, but he received many A grades for his efforts on our behalf. In later years, he earned the nickname of “father hen” for his overprotectiveness, especially towards his daughters. If we sat outside with our boyfriends longer than he thought necessary, the porch light would begin to flash as a signal it was time to come in.

Dad and Mom lived in only two different neighborhoods during their almost 60 years in California. This allowed them to develop lifelong friendships, some who are here today with us. Many a neighbor and friend benefited from Dad’s ever growing stash of tools. Mom will tell you there was never a job that Dad started that didn’t require him to buy a new tool.

Dad was an active member in every church he attended. He served the Lord as a deacon, elder, handyman, yard maintenance, security man, building committee member, and any other place he was needed. Dad probably knew more about this very building than the people who built it. There’s not an area of this building he hasn’t seen, fixed, or touched in some way.

Dad worked for the federal government for over 37 years with most of those years as a Cargo Master at McClellan Air Force Base. At one time during his career, he received an award for protecting a military caravan by using his lead vehicle to maneuver a car off the road which was driven by an impaired driver.

Over his lifetime, Dad enjoyed many outdoor activities especially hunting, fishing (which included a stint as a commercial deep sea fisher), boating, and water skiing. During their retirement years, Dad and Mom spent time traveling around the United States in their travel trailer seeing the sites and visiting family.

Throughout his life, Dad spent many hours volunteering including being a volunteer fireman for the City of Memphis and working for the Senior Gleaners organization. After his throat surgery and recovery, Dad visited others who were facing similar surgeries to offer encouragement. Whenever he was asked about what happened to his throat, he would always take the time to explain. He never missed an opportunity to admonish others, especially children, about the dangers of smoking.

Mom and Dad spent 13 years hosting international students from China through a program in Southern California. To this day, they are known in China as Grandma and Grandpa to many former students. In fact, it was just last month that the latest contingency of Chinese students came to Sacramento to visit with Mom and Dad.

Many of you in this room would have been the recipient of the bounty from Dad and Mom’s abundant garden. This last summer was the first time in over 60 years that Dad didn’t plant a full garden, but he couldn’t do without his tomatoes, onions, and a few other essentials.

If you’ve ever been to my parents’ house, you may have seen the white shed in the backyard. It was fondly known as the “dog house,” but really it was Dad’s creative place. It was there that he made bookcases, coat racks, and commemorative baseball bat holders for some of his grandchildren, cedar bowls, quilt racks, special orders of towel bars, cabinets, paper towel holders, handles for purses, and brought new life to castaway furniture.

In addition to the shed, there’s the shop. For years you could barely make your way around the perimeter, but Dad knew where to find anything he needed. These two buildings were the hub of where the action was and where our brothers followed Dad around, literally learning at his feet and cleaning up after him. This is the place where their God-given aptitude for woodworking and mechanics was honed. These lessons from Dad have served them well as they set out of their own.

It’s only fitting that we share with you our family’s summation of Dad’s way of thinking about most situations…there’s the right way to do something or there’s the “White” way to do it. You might as well save yourself some time and just do it the “White” way because that’s the only right way.

We would like to thank all of you who have joined us today to remember our father. We’d especially like to thank our cousin, Lisa White Jackson, for traveling from Mississippi to represent Dad’s Mississippi family. Also representing the Saugus High School International Exchange Program is Li Li affectionately known as Lily Timmins White.

The word eulogy means to “speak well of.” We hope what we have shared today will give you a glimpse of the man our Dad was. He would want you to know that he was far from a perfect man and any and all honor for his life should go to God. He was simply a sinner saved by grace.

Jim is survived by his wife of 64 years, Verna; his daughter Jamie Timmins and her husband Craig of Santa Clarita, California; his daughter Donna Hanson and her husband Rick of Shelton, Washington; his son Rick White and Jacquelyne Theisen of Dayton, Nevada; his son Dan and his wife Traci of Carmichael, California; and his son Jon of Seattle, Washington.

Grandpa/Papa Jim is also survived by 11 grandchildren: Jim Timmins and his wife Jennifer; Katie (Timmins) Ohlsen and her husband Mikael; Derek Hanson and his wife Alyssa; Brad Hanson and his wife Elizabeth; Jared Hanson and his wife Veronica; Dustin White, Ryan White, Chad White, Cody White, Danielle White, and Rhad White. Jim's great-grandchildren include: Jimmy and Julia Timmins; Aidan, Uzziah, and Mikey Ohlsen; Laila, Landon, and Lydia Hanson; and Tyson, Bella, and Evie Hanson.

Jim is preceded in death by his son Raymond, his father James Oliver, his mother Edith Ray, and his brother Gary.

Arrangements under the direction of Reichert's Funeral & Cremation Services, Citrus Heights, CA.