Reverend Donald E. White, age 85, of the Village Cooperative in Wausau, formerly of Tomahawk and Merrill, died April 24, 2015, at Mount View Care Center, Wausau, with his family by his side.
Chaplain White was born June 8, 1929, in Newport, Kentucky. His parents were Henry and Elizabeth Fields. He married Mary Treankler of March Rapids on July 14, 1950. Rev. White served as a teenage Marine, and after graduating from college and the seminary he retired from the Army as a Chaplain with the rank of Colonel. He spent both his civilian and military careers serving others through his faith. He served two years in Vietnam as a Chaplain where he was known as a soldier’s Chaplain because he spent time in the field where the soldiers needed him the most. He also helped start an orphanage and school in Vietnam. Among his many awards were three Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts. Locally, he served as Associate Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Merrill.
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Mary White; his six children, Cindy, Kerri (Randy Capp), Tom (Terry), Nancy (Brad Ruchti), Drew (Denise), Laura (Reggie Greene); twelve grandchildren, Lowell (Holly), Angie (Alan Alvis), Darrell, Christopher (Alena), Derrick, Amber, Dillon, Kevin, Emily, Alex, William, and Lucas; four great grandchildren, Addie, Ava, Michael, and Chris; two sisters, June (Ed) Popovitz, and Helen Wray; and countless other family and friends. Rev. White is preceded in death by his parents, Elizabeth and Henry; his brother Robert; and his sister Gladys.
The funeral will begin at 1:00 P.M. Saturday, May 2, 2015, at the Taylor-Stine Funeral Home, Merrill. Lay Minister Robert Schneider will officiate. Burial will take place at a later date in Snow Hill Cemetery, Town of Scott. Visitation will begin at 11:00 A.M. Saturday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the White Family asks that memorials be made to the D.A.V.
Online condolences may be made at www.taylorstinefuneralhome.com.