Richard "Rick" Alan White's Obituary
Richard "Rick" Alan White passed away peacefully in his home on December 5, 2024. Rick was born September 5, 1946 in Payson, Utah to Ruth Muriel Okleberry and John Thomas "Tom" White. He grew up in Goshen, Utah where his mother worked as a teacher at the local school. His father worked for the mine in Eureka, where he tragically died when Rick was just eleven. Rick attended Payson High School and graduated in 1964. He married Vickie Lue Rowe on June 12, 1965 in Springville Utah, the same year that he joined the Air Force where he was trained as a mechanic. A short time later they welcomed their first son, John Richard. Rick completed basic training at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington DC. His service took him to Grand Forks, North Dakota, Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada, and finally Beale Air Force Base in California—much of his service was spent away from his wife and children. During that time, Rick and Vickie welcomed their second son Steven Alan. When he finished his Air Force service, he settled with his family in Arizona taking a position at the copper mine as a pipefitter in the town of Miami. Rick continued what was supposed to be a "short-term job" for the next 40+ years. They welcomed daughter Ondrea Dawn and ultimately settled in Globe, Arizona. Rick became active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while in Arizona and served in many positions in the church, his favorite being a leader in the Boy Scouts of America, of which he was an Eagle Scout. He was a jack-of-all-trades, doing almost all of the auto and home repairs the family needed. Rick loved serving others and God and especially loved his family. He will be greatly missed. Rick is survived by his sisters, Lauree White and Kristy White, his wife, children, nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. He is proceeded in death by his mother, father, and step-father, William J Finlayson.
There will be viewing on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. the funeral service will follow at 12:00 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1138 East 100 South, Payson, Utah.
Interment to follow at the Fairview Cemetery, Cemetery Rd, Fairview, UT. For those who were unable to attend the funeral services, a recording of the service is available: https://youtu.be/bgK0GPFJfdg
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