Edwin Harold White
91, Columbia
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, June 29, 2018, at Hathorn Funeral Home for Edwin Harold White, 91, of Columbia, who passed away on Sunday, June 24 at his residence. Burial will follow in Darbun Mormon Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. until the time of the services on Friday, June 29 at Hathorn Funeral Home.
He was born in Columbia on March 8, 1927, to George Gordon White and Minnie Anna Ballard. He had four sisters, Avis, Ruby, Ordus and Nelda, and two brothers, George and Volmer.
He grew up in Walthall County and attended school in the Darbun community. At the age of 18, he entered the United States Army and served in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. After 17 weeks of basic training at Fort McClellan, Ala., he was sent to Fort Miles Standish in Boston, Mass., and later shipped to Bremerhaven, Germany. He served in the Third Army under George C. Patton.
After returning home from the Army, he continued his education at the University of Southern Mississippi and received his bachelor’s degree in biology. He served as president of his graduating class. He served as president of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. His first job was teaching at McLain High School where he was the basketball coach and taught science and biology.
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, he served two years as a missionary in the Southern States Missions which included Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee.
While serving a church mission in Florida, he met Dorthia Elaine Bell. On June 23, 1954, they married in the Idaho Falls, Idaho, Latter Day Saints Temple.
After they were married, they lived in Tampa, Fla. He taught at Benjamin Junior High for two years, while completing his master’s degree at the University of Southern Florida State Department of Education for seven years, and several years at the A.H. Robbins Company as a pharmaceutical sales representative. They were blessed with eight sons, Harold (Zola) of Arizona, Joseph (Brenda) of Forest, Millard (Jody) of Columbia, Paul of Washington, Michael (Barbara) of Memphis, Tenn., David (Carrie) of Herriman, Utah, Aaron of Columbia, and Charles (Rebecca) of Spanish Fork, Utah; three daughters, Ruth Crosby (Steve) of Columbia, Diane Phillips (Mark) of Roxboro, N.C., and Ruby Stone (Wesley) of Wilkesboro, NC. At the present there are 35 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren.
For nine years, he worked with New York Life Insurance Company in Florida and Mississippi. During this time, he moved to Mississippi and established his own company named Continental Realty and later White Realty. He was an appraiser for the local banks and also dabbled in other ventures.
He established his own construction company named Southern Contractors, served for 13 years as chairman of the local Republican Party and wrote speeches for several governors.
He loved to travel and visited many countries. He was entertained personally by governors, presidents, kings and rulers of several countries.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Elaine; parents; brothers; sisters and two grandsons, Nathan Harold and Matthew Brian White.
The family would like to thank the Forrest General Hospice team for the compassionate care given to their father.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Forrest General Hospice Foundation at 304 South 40th Ave., Hattiesburg, MS 39402.
Family and friends may sign an online guestbook at www.hathornfuneralhome.com.
Hathorn Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
