Robert Allyn White

Robert Allyn White was a man for whom actions would speak louder than words. His life motto might well have been “if it isn’t logical, it’s not important.” The qualities of being fair, just and the ability to recognize what was right were clearly driving forces in Robert’s life. He was also the kind of person who could respect a “do not disturb” sign, whether it was real or implied. He was analytical and observant, with an ability to be simultaneously spontaneous and keenly perceptive. Robert was modest in his actions and extremely literal in his thoughts and in the manner in which he communicated with others. When Robert said something, he meant it. All those who knew him appreciated this trademark quality.

Robert was born on May 2, 1956 in Pensacola, Florida. His parents were Dorothy and Robert White. Robert was raised in New York. Even as a small child, Robert wanted to understand what was right and what was wrong in any given situation. As Robert grew older, he realized the importance of being treated fairly, and in return, he treated everyone around him the same way. This belief in fair play served Robert well throughout his life and despite his natural shyness; he enjoyed a solid group of friends.

Since Robert sought to treat those around him with respect, he often found himself in the role of playing peacemaker within his family. He was comfortable in working through the types of sibling rivalry situations that quite often occur, because he loved the challenge of conflict resolution. He would look at the most reasonable and practical ways to settle any disputes. Robert was raised with four siblings. He had two younger brothers Ronnie and Ricky and two younger sisters Mary and Dorothy. Robert was constantly involved in activities with his siblings. Robert and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they shared many life experiences.

Those who didn’t know Robert well might have thought him to be objective and somewhat emotionally detached, but family and friends who were close to him knew that he was capable of unexpected flashes of humor. Robert’s good friends tended to be “thinkers” like himself. Even though the circle of friends was somewhat small, it was a strong and loyal group, and Robert liked nothing better than to spend his free time with them. Robert was well known for always being up front and open, never hiding his true feelings, qualities that drew deep loyalty from his friends because they understood and appreciated him for the person he was. Another quality that people admired in Robert was his ability to link cause and effect and apply the appropriate connection in his assessment of any new situation. While growing up, some of his best friends were Raymond. Later in life, he became friends with Raymond.

This same loyalty and up front honesty Robert shared with his friends carried over to other aspects of his life, including his relationships with his family. On November 4, 2005, Robert exchanged wedding vows with Sharron Michelle Jones at the Chapel of Love of Las Vegas, Nevada. The marriage became a solid relationship, due in part to Robert’s skill at bringing fresh energy and clarity to meeting Sharron's needs. He was a great listener who enjoyed the couple’s “together” time, especially when it came to celebrating special occasions.

As the family grew, Robert was easily able to adapt to the changes and challenges of parenthood. Robert was blessed with twelve children, five sons, Adam, Nicolas, Jessie, Casey and Paul and seven daughters Sharon, Erica, Penny, Lorraine, Marina, Lynda and Lilly. They were also blessed with two grandchildren, Julia and Andrew. Robert was never impulsive in dealing with family problems. Instead, he would carefully think things through before implementing the solution in a logical and objective manner. Robert was a strong, clear communicator who excelled at eliminating confusion by making matters crystal clear to all those involved. At the same time, Robert’s inventive nature could turn some of the boring old household chores into a fun activity for the family.

Robert was an USMC veteran. He understood his duty to serve his country and the importance of getting a job done. He was comfortable with the routines of the military and even liked them to some degree, especially when it came to grasping the clear instructions and guidelines he was expected to follow. Robert saw action for Vietnam.

Robert’s curious and inquisitive nature influenced his choice of leisure pursuits as well. He applied his strong concentration and analytical skills as to how things worked to his choice of activities. He particularly enjoyed the “alone” time his hobbies provided. His favorite pursuits were Nascar, Hunting, Knife Collecting and Deep Sea Fishing. Robert was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Robert had the ability to stay calm and the determination to do what was necessary to get the job finished, traits that helped him enjoy sports. Recreational sports included golf, bowling and tossing the ball. Robert was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were Nascar, Football, Boxing and Drag Racing.

Robert was an asset to any organization he joined. In many ways, he was a man of action who would rather tackle a job than spend time chatting about irrelevant things. He worked well on small committees and excelled at focusing on the important details without getting bogged down by the unnecessary parts of an assignment. Throughout his later years, Robert was an active member of the NHRA and VFW.

If Robert believed in a cause or an idea, he was willing to work hard on its behalf. Politically, Robert was Republican.

Religion and faith were important to Robert. He held dear the faith and values he derived from his beliefs. He was a member of LDS for 1 1/2 years.

Robert appreciated the occasions when he was able to travel and get away on a vacation. He enjoyed learning about different locales and was open to exploring new and different places. Favorite vacation spots included Favorite vacations included Las Vegas and Solvang. He thoroughly enjoyed the task of gathering and analyzing travel information as he prepared for an upcoming trip.

Robert was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. His family was rounded out by his Black Labs, Bear and Allison.

As his retirement approached, Robert viewed the event as just one more project to research and solve. So, when the day finally arrived in 1978, he was well prepared. In retirement, he found new pleasure in golf.

Robert passed away on January 16, 2012 at VA Hospital in Palo Alto, California. He is survived by his loving family. Services were held at Custer Christiansen Chapel. Robert was laid to rest in Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.

Robert strongly believed that talk is cheap. He was the type of person who would show others his feelings through his actions. He was practical and realistic but was able to be flexible when the need arose. He had a curiosity about the things around him and tried to experience life directly rather than sit back and talk about it. The experiences he treasured most were those he shared with his loved ones. Robert Allyn White will be greatly missed.