Donald Gene White

Donald "Don" White Donald Gene "Don" White, 79, a Wenatchee area resident for over 70 years, passed away on Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at Central Washington Hospital. He was born on December 7, 1934 at Wideman, Arkansas to Tommie W. and Verneen (Hellums) White. He was raised to the age of seven in Arkansas before moving with his family to Monitor. They later moved to Wenatchee, where he attended elementary through high school, graduating from Wenatchee High School with the class of 1955 and continuing his education at Wenatchee Valley College, majoring in chemistry. He went to work at Keokuk in Rock Island as a Wet Chemist until he accepted a job at Alcoa as a chemist. Don continued working at Alcoa and retired after over 26 years of service. Don married Artie M. Dumas at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in November of 1954. Don and Artie made their home in Wenatchee and soon after welcomed two daughters, Debbie Weimer and Virginia "Gini" Berry. On November 19, 1983, Don married Carol S. Gooch and they continued to make their home in East Wenatchee for the past 30 years. Don and Carol enjoyed many years of traveling, antiquing, running their own antique business and many, many trips to casinos around the country. Don also spent many, many hours devoted to the Red Apple Fliers and flying radio controlled airplanes. Don was also a member of the Sports Car Club in Wenatchee and the Lake Chelan Yacht Club. He enjoyed autocross racing, rally racing, sailing, and shooting guns (especially teaching his grandchildren to shoot and fly radio controlled airplanes). He was an outdoorsman and in earlier times loved to go camping, backpacking and was a rock hound. He is survived by his wife, Carol S. White, East Wenatchee; his mother, Verneen A. White, East Wenatchee; one daughter and son-in-law, Debbie & Monte Weimer of Vancouver, WA; two step-daughters and sons-in-law, Kathy & Tim Evans of Yakima and Tracy & Bill Parke of East Wenatchee; two brothers and one sister-in-law, John White of Wenatchee and Vic & Peggy White of East Wenatchee; ten grandchildren, Megan Skeers of Nampa, ID, Tyson Weimer of Battle Ground, WA, Rachel Weimer and Daniel Weimer of Vancouver, WA, Mandy Berry of CA, Krista Berry of Lewiston, ID, Rachel Mejia and Sarah Evans of Yakima, WA and Matthew Parke and Michael Parke of East Wenatchee; and 14 great grandchildren. Don was preceded in death by his first wife, Artie, on January 10, 1983, father, Tommie White and a daughter, Virginia "Gini" Berry in 1995. A Graveside Internment service will be held on Thursday, May 22nd at 1:00 p.m. at Wenatchee Cemetery. You are invited to visit his tribute online at www.HeritageMemorialChapel.com . The family suggest memorial donations be made to the Salvation Army. Arrangements are in the care of Heritage Memorial Chapel, East Wenatchee.

Donald Gene White

December 7, 1934 - May 14, 2014