Henry James McWhite

Henry James McWhite age 75, of Clearwater, Florida passed away on February 14, 2019. He was born on April 27, 1943, in Pamplico, South Carolina, to Willard and Jannie Mae (Grant) McWhite. In 1946 the family moved to Toledo, Ohio where Henry attended Pickett and Parkland Grade Schools, and Libbey High School class of ‘62; He earned his MBA from Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York ‚ ‘79. He was a member of Phi Beta Lambda the largest collegiate business student organization in the world.

Henry confessed his faith in Christ at an early age and was baptized at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Toledo, OH.

As a Vietnam era veteran Sergeant McWhite served two tours in Korea where he played football for the Seventh Army Division.

His employment career included Eighteen years with IBM Corp., where he was the first African-American Customer Engineer in Toledo, Ohio and seven years with Wang Laboratories as part of its senior management team. As an entrepreneur, he owned and operated a swimming pool repair and remodeling company in Pinellas County, Florida. After selling this business Henry took on a number of consulting

and business coaching opportunities around the country.

One of his proudest accomplishments was when he had the opportunity to relocate to South Carolina, the state in which he was born, to establish a small business incubator to help those who were left behind by the down turn in the local economy.

He was resilient, encouraging, unselfish, and a loving person, always thinking of others first. Henry was a righteous man who loved God.

As a member of NAARVA (National African American RVers Association) since 1997, Henry LOVED traveling in his Motorcoach. His favorite destinations where Upper Michigan, the mountains of North Carolina and road trips out west. His hobbies included Golfing, playing Chess, watching Westerns, and playing Bid Wisk with family and friends.

He was a SCORE (Service Core of Retired Executives) Business Counselor. SCORE “Counselors to America‘s Small Business” is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small business start, grow and succeed nationwide.

He was also a Rotarian; an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide

humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Henry touched so many people with his perseverance, courage, motivational and positive outlook on life and will be greatly missed by his friends and family.

“My philosophy is very simple”, Henry would say. “Failure is staying down when you get knocked down, and success is what you do when you get up.”

He held a LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP of the NAACP.

Henry has two daughters, Crystal Holmes of Temple, TX and Robyn M. (Bryan) Johnson of Houston, TX.

Henry was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Johnny L. McWhite and Rickie P. White; and his sister, Gloria D. McWhite.

He is survived by sisters, Shirley J. Moultry, Janet McWhite and Patricia A. Cooper; a brother, James A. White Jr.; an adoring god daughter Autumn S. Lacy and a host of loving nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Henry on February 22, 2019 at 2pm

Sylvan Abbey Memorial

Park & Funeral Home

2853 Sunset Point Road

Clearwater, FL 33759

Per his request, Henry will be cremated.

Henry will be laid to rest at Sarasota National Cemetery.

“For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it. May you always have love to share, health to spare and friends that care.”