William "Gene" E. White

William Eugene “Gene” White joined his wife in heaven on August 9, 2013. Gene was born August 25, 1913, in Cave City, Kentucky to William Morgan and Phoebe Waller White. He was the third of six children. Gene spent his early years in Nada, Utah on the family homestead. At 13 years old, Gene acquired a job herding sheep. He saved the money he earned to buy cattle. He left Nada and traded for a small farm in Milford, Utah. While living in Milford he met the love of his life, Nola Sly. Nola was a teenager and Gene said he had to wait for her to grow up. They were married in June 1942. Their first three children were born in Milford. In 1947 he shipped his cattle by train to Huntington, Oregon. The family drove from Milford to Huntington in a 1945 Chevy flatbed truck. In 1950 Gene traded the ranch in Huntington for property in Weiser, Idaho. He traded property again in 1953 and they moved to a cattle ranch in Arock, Oregon where they welcomed two more children to the family. In 1962 Gene traded the ranch in Arock for a farm in Adrian, Oregon which he built up to be a Grade A dairy. Gene was an active member of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, Dairymen’s Creamery Association, The National Grange, and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. When he wasn’t busy, he loved listening to music, dancing, and enjoying the beauty of the earth, especially the wild flowers. Education was important to him and he made sure all his children and grandchildren received a good education.

            In 1988, Gene and Nola retired, sold the dairy in Adrian, and moved to Ontario, Oregon where they raised their granddaughters, Kathleen and Candi. His love of animals and farming continued in Ontario. He always had a large garden, raising potatoes, corn, tomatoes, cantaloupe, and strawberries which he shared with family and friends. Gene turned the kennel in to a chicken coop and raised several chickens. Gene continued to ride horses, drive tractor, and go on several fishing and hunting trips well into his nineties.

            Gene is survived by his brother Joe L. White, Ontario, Oregon, sister Louise Sly, Halfway, Oregon, sons Joe (Carol) White, Nampa, Idaho; Ray (Betty) White, Adrian, Oregon; daughters Ellen (Terry) Geddes, Ontario, Oregon; Donna (Tim) Atwood, Fruitland, Idaho; granddaughters Kathleen (Derric) Wagstaff, Parma, Idaho; Candi (Jared) Stradling, Nampa, Idaho; eleven additional grandchildren, twenty-eight great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild and numerous nieces and nephews.

            He was preceded in death by his wife Nola, infant brother Richard, parents William and Phoebe White, son Hal, grandson Ryan Geddes, sister Elizabeth Whitehurst, and brother Barrett (JB) White.

            The family would like to Heart & Home Hospice and all of those who cared for Gene in the past few months.

            Services will be held August 15, 2013, at 10:00 a.m., at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1705 NW 4th Ave. Ontario, Oregon under the direction of Haren-Wood Funeral Chapel, Ontario, Oregon.  Interment will follow at the Owyhee Cemetery Nyssa, Oregon.

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