James Francis "Frank" White

James Francis "Frank" White, 82, of Forest Park, passed peacefully into his Eternal Glory in his sleep, in the comfort of his home, as he wished, on July 30, 2020. Born on October 1, 1937 in Atlanta, the second child of Homer S. White Sr. of Atlanta and Martha Darthula Kelly of Haleyville Alabama, Frank attended Sylvan Hills Elementary and Sylvan High School in Atlanta, then joined the Navy in 1955, where he learned the trade of welding. He joined the LDS Church about 1958. After an honorable discharge from the Navy, and while still in San Diego where he had been stationed, Frank served a two-year mission in the North Central States Mission (Minnesota and South Dakota), returning to San Diego about 1961. Soon he met his future bride, the former Ruth B. Rumble, and immediately began a courtship. He knew by the second date that Ruth was the one for him. Ruth took somewhat more convincing. After marriage in the LDS Los Angeles Temple on April 25, 1962, and finding employment scarce at that time, he moved his new wife and infant son back to Atlanta, where he found employment at Low Temp Industries, and where he lived the remainder of his life. He was the best and most skilled welder I ever saw. He turned welding into a fine art, and literally danced rhythmically while welding, and with an unbelievable speed and accuracy. Other professional welders there trusted him to do delicate aluminum welds on cracked engine heads, rather than themselves, and for many years he was the only non-salaried employee at Low Temp entrusted with a key to the plant, so that he could let himself in to work whenever and as much as he wanted. When he finally retired for good, the company had to hire three new men to replace his prodigious daily output. America was built by the tough breed of man like him. He served his church and Heavenly Father faithfully over many years as Sunday School teacher, Bishop, Stake High Councillor, and finally, Temple Ordinance Worker at the LDS Atlanta Temple -- all of them unpaid, volunteer jobs. He had a phenomenal memory, and could recite entire chapters of scripture, verbatim. He used to regularly stun audiences at church with this ability. No surprise, really, to those who knew him best, since he routinely arose each morning at 4 am, and spent an hour each day peacefully reading his scriptures, before heading off to work. For many years (until traffic grew too bad), he used to bicycle the 14-mile round trip to and from work. Although his beloved wife Ruth eventually went back to a job after raising their seven kids, Frank for many years single handedly provided for his growing family, and I never once heard him complain or say he was tired. He was a patient and loving father, and a doting and faithful husband, who was still madly in love with his "Ruthie" even into his final illness. The delight of his old age were his 3 grandchildren. His succession of faithful doggies and kitties filled in for grandkids who lived far away. I never knew a more humble, honest, nor a more generous or compassionate man, in all my life. I've witnessed him tenderly spoon feeding his elderly aunt, in her rest home, and witnessed him weeping while he gently held and caressed the head of a dying cat, in his front yard, staying with the poor animal out in the mercilessly hot sun, until the very end. A rabbit dying of probable rat poison similarly caused him to weep. He was a much better father and man than I, his son. There are (alas) too few people like him in this sad world. Frank is survived by his devoted wife Ruth (Forest Park), son Terry (McCaysville Ga), daughter Kim (Jay) Kalke (St. Augustine Fla), son Derek (Kon) (Forest Park), son Alan (Jackie) (Statham Ga), son Arlen (Michelle) (Houston, Tx), son Nathaniel (Buford Ga), and daughter Karmelle (Sandy Springs Ga), sisters Dr. Ellen W. (Dr. Stuart O.) Nelson (Athens Ga) and Dr. Dianne Byrd (Opelika Ala), several adoring nieces, nephews, and cousins, and of course, his three grandchildren, the darlings of his life, Kara Kalke, Alex White, and Samantha White. An older brother, the late Homer S. White Jr (Durham, NC), and sister in law Glenndle Myrick White (Hillsborough NC), predeceased him, as did a brother in law, Dr. Keith Byrd (Opelika Ala). His father died in 1943. His mother Martha in 2008, and his faithful stepfather who raised him and his siblings, Ralph Clinton Bunn, died in 2009. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 8th, 2020, at 2:30 p.m., at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2100 Lake Jodeco Road, Jonesboro, GA 30236. Social distancing measures will be in place." Ford-Stewart Funeral Home, Inc., Jonesboro/Stockbridge 770-210-2700. www.fordstewartfuneralhome.com

Tributes

James Francis "Frank" White

October 1, 1937 - July 30, 2020