Henry F. White, Jr.

Hank was born on May 19, 1946 the son of Henry F. White and Mary (Stewart) White. He was raised in the Bronx, graduated from Fordham Preparatory High School where his character and strong Catholic faith were formed and nurtured. He studied one year at Manhattan College before receiving his appointment to the United States Naval Academy.

Following graduation he served two tours in Vietnam, transferred to the Naval Reserves where he had a long and successful career, retiring as a Rear Admiral. He was proud of his service, a huge and gratifying part of his life. He was forever grateful for the friends he made in the Navy.

After active duty he graduated from Fordham Law School and joined the NYC law firm of Hill Betts & Nash, making partner in three years. The firm specialized in maritime law and maritime insurance issues. As a “seagoing ambulance chaser” he traveled the world working on cases.

After ten years of practice he joined the New York City Government serving initially as Deputy Commissioner of Transportation handling all Transit Operations, covering ferries, buses, subways. He was later appointed Counsel to the Mayor of New York, Ed Koch, handling all legal concerns for the City of New York.

He went on to establish the NYC office of Barger & Wolen, a Los Angeles based firm, and as the resident partner developed a corporate practice for the insurance industry, while continuing his work in maritime law and insurance.

Hank was subsequently appointed the President of the Institute of the International Container Lessors, representing international container and chassis leasing world-wide.

He then served as Executive Director of the American Bar Association: 40,000 lawyer members, 800 employees with offices in Chicago and Washington D.C. It was at the ABA where he implemented the Cristo Rey Jesuit student work program. This program provides paying positions in organizations and businesses that help defray the cost of student’s Catholic education. It was a program near and dear to his heart.

Hank married Emmy Louise Langenfeld on September 11,1993, and as he then said, “ I immediately recovered from the scourges of a long bachelorhood.”

Henry was active on several boards, along with being the Historian of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of the City of New York, and an adjunct professor of law at Ave Maria Law School Naples, Florida.

Survivors include his wife of 33 years, Emmy; sister and brother-in-law, Jane and Skip Pfeffer; brother-in-law Dr. Richard Dwane; nieces Marjorie Dwane and Anne Dwane; nephews Shaw (Casey) Langenfeld and Max Langenfeld: grand niece and nephew, Natalya and Sam Langenfeld and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters: Margaret Dwane and Dr. Mary White and brother-in-law Todd Langenfeld.

In lieu of flowers, Hank would be most pleased if donations were made to: Fordham Preparatory School, Bronx, New York or Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Chicago, Illinois.

Mass of Christian Burial with be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 30, 2026 at, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 625 111th Avenue North, Naples,Florida.

The mass will be live streamed: St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Naples, FL