Visitation
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST
Heritage Life story Funeral HomesĀ® - Stephens Chapel
305 E. State St.
Scottville, MI 49454
Map
Service
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
11:00 AM EST
Heritage Life story Funeral HomesĀ® - Stephens Chapel
305 E. State St.
Scottville, MI 49454
Map
Contributions
At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.
Hospice of Michigan - Mason County
10 Atkinson Drive, Ludington, MI 49431
American Lung Association of Michigan
25900 Greenfield Road, Suite 401, Oak Park, MI 482
Life Story / Obituary
Joseph White was a wonderful man, completely devoted to his family and quick to use his sense of humor to bring a smile to your face. He was extremely talented and used his skills in a variety of ways. Most importantly, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, willing to help his loved ones in any way he could.
Joseph Henry White entered the world in the middle of the Roaring 20s, a time of excitement and energy in the United States. He was born on December 1, 1926, in Grant Township, Mason County, Michigan. The third of five children, Joe grew up in the company of his two brothers, Bill and Bob, and two sisters, Pearl and Velma. The Whites were farmers, so Joe was not a stranger to hard work - that is when he wasn't getting into mischief with his friends. He attended Nordhouse School, where liked to play baseball. School wasn't exactly Joe's favorite place to be, and on one occasion he asked to go to the restroom and instead of returning to class, he just walked home.
Like many young men of the time, Joe enlisted in the U.S. Army, and proudly served his country during World War II. He was stationed in the Philippines, where he worked as a truck driver. Upon his honorable discharge, Joe moved to Muskegon and found work at Consumers Power as a heavy equipment operator, moving coal piles. Not long after, Joe met the love of his life, Alice Nuttall, while playing baseball in her parents' backyard. Alice had eyes for this tall, dark and handsome man named Joe, who was also four years her elder. When they started dating, Joe owned a 1926 Ford Model A. In an attempt to impress Alice, he traded the Model A for a new Mercury Coupe, which subsequently blew up on him. No matter, their love for each other was already blooming and they were happily married on July 1, 1949, in Muskegon.
As the couple settled into married life together, Joe opened a gas station called Joe's Gulf and operated it for a couple of years. He then went to work for Lawrence Trucking as a truck driver. Over the next several years, Joe and Alice became the proud parents of six children: Joseph Jr. (1950), Roger (1951), Esther Jean (1953), Sharon (1954), Mike (1958) and Steve (1962). Joe moved his large family to a farm in Ravenna in 1960, where he intended to raise livestock. To start his herd, he went to the stockyard and bought a calf, which had a cushy ride home in the backseat of Joe's Buick. In 1967, Joe left Lawrence Trucking to work at Emery's Foundry in Ravenna. After a few years at the foundry, he moved again to Thunder Lake in Fountain, and began working for Pandrol Jackson in Ludington as a steel handler until his retirement on November 30, 1990.
Outside of his every day work, Joe enjoyed doing woodworking, and had a real talent for it. He meticulously built heart stands, children's rocking chairs, many of which went to his precious grandchildren (even for those not yet born), school desks, quilt stands, end tables, bird baths and plant pokes. In addition, Joe and Alice owned a craft business in their retirement, and coaxed their son Steve and his wife to help with it. Joe was truly a talented craftsman and put his skills to good use building three of the homes they lived in, including their current residence.
What brought Joe the greatest happiness, however, was being surrounded by his family, and sharing precious moments together. A great evening would start out with Joe making a campfire, which grew into a bonfire, and his kids sitting around the fire playing country songs on the guitars and singing along. And it wasn't long before the neighbors came over to join in the festivities. For Joe, these were treasured memories. After retiring, Joe and Alice enjoyed traveling more extensively in their motor home, visiting places like the Upper Peninsula, Mackinaw, Sault Ste. Marie, and Copper Harbor. They also enjoyed many trips to Ludington State Park. Each year, Joe looked forward to Memorial Day weekend for the annual Fountain Horse Pull. One of Joe's most endearing traits was his great sense of humor. He just loved to tease and pick on everyone, showing he cared in a funny sort of way. Above all else, family was the most cherished gift in Joe's life, and he made sure to show it unconditionally in word and in deed. He will be deeply missed.
Joseph was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Joseph Jr., in 1986, and his grandson, Jason, in 1987. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Alice; his sons: Roger L. of Allendale, Michael A. (Pamela) of Naples, FL, and Steven J. (Alberta) of Holland; his daughters: Esther Jean White of Muskegon, and Sharon E. Phillips and her friend Bill Hedglin of Fennville; 19 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren; his brothers: Bill (Marge) White of Whitehall, and Bob (Darlene) White of Berrien Springs; his sisters: Pearl Ruba of Scottville, and Velma Hopkins of Whitehall; many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life service will be held for Joe at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 29, at the Stephens Life Story Funeral Home in Scottville, with Rev. Norm Letsinger of Bachelor Evangelical Covenant Church officiating. Burial will take place at Sunrise Memorial Gardens in Muskegon. Friends may meet with his family for a time of visitation on Tuesday evening from 7-9 p.m. at the funeral home. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to Hospice of Michigan ~ Mason County, or the American Lung Association. Please visit Joe's personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a favorite memory of Joe or sign the online guestbook.