Richard “Wayne” White, 76, of Grayland, Washington, passed away on Saturday, November 26, 2011. He was born in Littlerock, Washington, on August 28, 1935.
He lived with his grandparents until the second grade when he moved to Tokeland with his mother and step-father, Elsie and Harold Hansen. He attended Tokeland schools until the fifth grade when he transferred to Ocosta and graduated from there in 1953. He played football and basketball in his high school years.
After graduation he fished in Alaska with the Furford brothers until the boat sank. He got to read his own obituary in the Canadian newspaper. They proved that wrong when all 3 of the men made it to safety after 2 days on a empty oil drum in Alaskan waters. He tried fishing again with Dick Branshaw until his boat sank in the Willapa Harbor and they both swam to shore. They went up to the Look-Out Tower in North Cove that was there at the time, finding a person on watch and a nice warm fire. Wayne always said he got colder in the Willapa waters than in the Alaska waters. After two boats sinking, he decided fishing wasn’t for him and didn’t try for a third.
Wayne joined the Air Force in 1956, and was stationed in California, Texas, Alaska and New York.
He married Sally Griffin at Grayland in 1956. When he got out of the service in 1960, they lived in Aberdeen for a year and then bought their family home in Grayland where they raised their family and have lived for the last 54 years.
Wayne started out working in construction with John Perrson, and other local contractors for several years before finally going to Rognlin’s where he worked for 12 years. In 1989, he started working for Brumfield & Bordeaux. In 1990, he bought out Bordeaux and he and John Brumfield became partners in Brumfield Construction Inc. For the past 21 years Wayne was an active partner until his illness forced him to semi-retire last year.
He has been a 50 year member of the Aberdeen Eagles, North Cove Grange for 55 years, and the Operating Engineers, Local 302.
Wayne is survived by his wife of 55 years, Sally, of the family home in Grayland; a daughter, Debra and husband Kris Stenberg, and a son, Richard L. White, all of Grayland; a sister, Carol Harrison; a grandson, Jon White, Grayland; two granddaughters, Tracy Howard, Hoquiam and Rachel Hendrickson, Montesano; 6 great-grandchildren; and many other beloved family and dear friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, Elsie Hansen Miller; his step- father, Harold Hansen; and his oldest son, Glen White in 2008.
A celebration of Wayne’s life and potluck will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, December 17th, at the Ocosta Rec Hall. Please bring your favorite dish and a special memory of Wayne to share.
The family suggests memorials may be made to the Ocosta Booster Club, P.O. Box 1741, Westport, WA 98595. This will be presented as a scholarship to the child of a local fisherman.
A card of condolence may be sent to the family at www.fernhillfuneral.com
Arrangements were entrusted to Fern Hill Funeral Home, Aberdeen.
Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)
Air Force
Fraternal Order of Eagles
The National Grange
Operating Engineers Local 302
The insignias listed here may be subject to copyright and / or trademarked. Those copyrights and trademarks are owned by the respective organizations. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Richard White, please visit our flower store.
He lived with his grandparents until the second grade when he moved to Tokeland with his mother and step-father, Elsie and Harold Hansen. He attended Tokeland schools until the fifth grade when he transferred to Ocosta and graduated from there in 1953. He played football and basketball in his high school years.
After graduation he fished in Alaska with the Furford brothers until the boat sank. He got to read his own obituary in the Canadian newspaper. They proved that wrong when all 3 of the men made it to safety after 2 days on a empty oil drum in Alaskan waters. He tried fishing again with Dick Branshaw until his boat sank in the Willapa Harbor and they both swam to shore. They went up to the Look-Out Tower in North Cove that was there at the time, finding a person on watch and a nice warm fire. Wayne always said he got colder in the Willapa waters than in the Alaska waters. After two boats sinking, he decided fishing wasn’t for him and didn’t try for a third.
Wayne joined the Air Force in 1956, and was stationed in California, Texas, Alaska and New York.
He married Sally Griffin at Grayland in 1956. When he got out of the service in 1960, they lived in Aberdeen for a year and then bought their family home in Grayland where they raised their family and have lived for the last 54 years.
Wayne started out working in construction with John Perrson, and other local contractors for several years before finally going to Rognlin’s where he worked for 12 years. In 1989, he started working for Brumfield & Bordeaux. In 1990, he bought out Bordeaux and he and John Brumfield became partners in Brumfield Construction Inc. For the past 21 years Wayne was an active partner until his illness forced him to semi-retire last year.
He has been a 50 year member of the Aberdeen Eagles, North Cove Grange for 55 years, and the Operating Engineers, Local 302.
Wayne is survived by his wife of 55 years, Sally, of the family home in Grayland; a daughter, Debra and husband Kris Stenberg, and a son, Richard L. White, all of Grayland; a sister, Carol Harrison; a grandson, Jon White, Grayland; two granddaughters, Tracy Howard, Hoquiam and Rachel Hendrickson, Montesano; 6 great-grandchildren; and many other beloved family and dear friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, Elsie Hansen Miller; his step- father, Harold Hansen; and his oldest son, Glen White in 2008.
A celebration of Wayne’s life and potluck will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, December 17th, at the Ocosta Rec Hall. Please bring your favorite dish and a special memory of Wayne to share.
The family suggests memorials may be made to the Ocosta Booster Club, P.O. Box 1741, Westport, WA 98595. This will be presented as a scholarship to the child of a local fisherman.
A card of condolence may be sent to the family at www.fernhillfuneral.com
Arrangements were entrusted to Fern Hill Funeral Home, Aberdeen.
Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)
Air Force
Fraternal Order of Eagles
The National Grange
Operating Engineers Local 302
The insignias listed here may be subject to copyright and / or trademarked. Those copyrights and trademarks are owned by the respective organizations. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Richard White, please visit our flower store.
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