Obituary: Harold White

Harold White was born on Oct. 21, 1937, in Lamar to Elmer Floyd White and Edna Mae Triplett McKinney. He died on June 17, 2009, following a brief hospital stay and after an eight-month battle with lung cancer at his home in Meeker.
Harold attended school in LaSalle as well as a two-room school near Gill in Bebe Draw with his longtime friend, Jim Graff. There were three students in his class for both seventh and eighth grade in that country school. Harold was graduated from Gill in 1955.
After working for years with his stepfather, Bart, on the family farm Harold enlisted in the Marine Corps Jan. 4, 1956, when he was 18. He was released from active duty on an early out on Dec. 18, 1958, when he was living in Illinois and received his discharge on Jan. 3, 1962. During his years in the service of his country he was stationed in Jacksonville, N.C. Harold also served overseas in Lebanon. His unit was a part of the United Nations delegation and as such got no bullets when they flew. They were shot at and had holes in the fuselage. He said the next time they flew they got ammunition.
Harold married Eleanor Swinson in 1958 in North Carolina. They were married for four years and had three children, Glen, Brian and Cathy. When that relationship ended, Harold moved to Greeley and then back to the farm with his stepfather and mother and farmed again for a year. When he left the farm he worked in Fort Collins as a machinist mechanic.
Harold married Christine Crawford in 1962. Two children were born to that marriage, Cheryl and Debra Kay.
Harold then was reunited with his father from whom he had been separated since he had been 2. Harold then moved to Grand Junction and met relatives he had never known and was able build relationships with his father and his relatives. Harold had many back surgeries starting with the first one in 1963. Through the years he had nine surgeries on his back and several other major heart and lung surgeries.
Harold moved to Pueblo and worked for GAC Finance. He met his wife, Charlotte and married her Sept. 12, 1969. They would have been married for 40 years this September.
When Charlotte retired, she and Harold moved to Meeker. Harold had built a cabin on the White River East of Meeker. Harold’s skill at remodeling and building can be seen in the buildings he constructed. He enjoyed mowing the lawn in Meeker and at their home on the White River.
Harold served on the Meeker Town Board of Trustees for six years from 2002-2008, which included two years as mayor pro-tem. He also served on the Rio Blanco County Recreation Board and recently retired from his service for the community of Meeker.
Harold was preceded in death by his mother, Edna McKinney, father, Elmer White, a brother who died in infancy, his stepfather, Bart, his grandfather, “Pappy,” Theron McKinney, one grandchild and one great-grandchild. He is survived by his wife Charlotte of Meeker, his children, Glen (Mary) White of Lancaster Pa., Bryan (Barbara) White of Virginia Beach, Va., Cathy (Richard)White of Enterprise, Ala., Cheryl White of Los Angeles, Debra Kay Lee of Grand Junction, two stepchildren, Terry (Paul) Irons of Cedar City, Utah, and Dan (Hannah) Douglas of Louisville, Colo., a myriad of other relatives, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and 24 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Harold White Memorial Fund. That fund will be utilized to initiate a hospice program for other families in Rio Blanco County who need help with terminally ill loved ones. Donations can be made at any First National Bank of the Rockies.