Richard "Dick" R. White (2016)

BLEY, DRAKE, HARMON, NIELSON, WHITE

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 7/31/2016 at 21:45:25

Daily News
Red Bluff, California
Saturday, July 30, 2016

RICHARD "DICK" R. WHITE
June 21, 1932 ~ July 19, 2016

Richard (Dick) R. White, Red Bluff, CA passed away peacefully on July 19, 2016, at the age of 84, after a two year battle with Leukemia. Dick was born in Winterset, Iowa, on June 21, 1932 to Robert & Thelma White. He fought hard, and to the very end.

He will be remembered for his gift of teaching, his mentoring of football and basketball officials, his ear for music, his love of all sports, (Go Giants and 49'ers!), and mostly, for his gift of telling a good story. Whether he was talking about sports, his childhood in Iowa, his parent's grocery store and how he got a piece of candy after school each day, or one of his special friendships, you had a vivid image of his story. He was a remarkable orator.

Dick married Gloria Nielson, of Paradise in 1951. They met on the school bus and were married for 30 years before she died in 1981 of Leukemia. He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Thelma White, his brother Jim White, and his beloved cat, Gabby.

He is survived by daughter Julie Bley (Ken), of Orangevale, CA, a son, Mike White (Darla), Renton, WA, two granddaughters, Jessica Harmon (Jared) of Chico, CA, and Lindsey Drake (Brandon) of Vilsek, Germany, and nieces and nephews.

Dick was a Boy Scout from a young age where he achieved the highest level of Eagle Scout. He spoke often of his memories at Camp Mitigwa with his friends, Jim Johnson, Kermit Cook, Don Pocter, and Richard Harrison. He was in the Marching Band at Winterset and Chico High Schools and during his Army service from 1954-1956. Band was instrumental in his decision to become a music teacher.

He was an educator in Red Bluff for 35 years where he taught elementary and middle school band; 4th grade and became a principal before retiring in 1991. He truly loved his job, his colleagues and the parents and children it brought into his life.

One of Dick's greatest passions was officiating. He refereed high school football and some college football for nearly 45 years and high school basketball for 25 years. He was also a college basketball official observer and evaluator. He met and mentored countless officials over the years and made many lifelong friends. Along the way he discovered golf. He said it was "the most frustrating game" he'd ever played! And he loved it playing as often as he could including his time with the "dawn patrol" before his illness. He also played Slow Pitch Softball until he was well into his 70's including a couple of trips to the Huntsman Senior World Games. He loved the game, and the fellowship.

The family would like to thank his friends that helped him get to and from chemo and blood transfusions; brought him food and sometimes just kept him company or looked out for him including Meg, Chris, Gregg, Leroy, Brian, Jack, Sherry and her husband Duane, Alan, Velma; all the nurses at St. Elizabeth's Hospital; Dan and team at St. Elizabeth's Infusion Center; the nurses at the Chemo Center in Redding; and Brookdale Assisted Living. Thank you for all you did to help Dick live independently and courageously, and to carry on until he was just too tired to talk anymore.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 6th at Wilcox Oaks Golf Club, Red Bluff, at 1pm. All are welcome and the attire is casual with suggested Giants or 49ers shirts! In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center or to the charity of your choice .

Link to Gravestone Photo
 

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