Obituary of Gerald H. White

Gerald H. White passed away Monday, October 24, 2016, at age 79, near his home in Gravois Mills, Missouri. Jerry, the son of Harold and Mildred (Konesky) White, was born May 27, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois. He did not suffer and was not a burden on anyone, which was very important to him; and he lived life on his terms for as long as he was able. Jerry was smart, confident and well-liked by his friends and business associates. He had a dry wit and an agile mind, especially with numbers. He like to spend time doing sudoku, and he could recite the telephone numbers and street addresses from nearly every place he lived. He loved watching sports, especially the Chicago teams; and he was thrilled to have lived to see his Chicago Cubs make it to the World Series again. He enjoyed gambling, whether by playing the stock market, traveling to the casinos in Las Vegas, or just playing poker with friends. Jerry had a long successful career in data processing, which started while he was in the US Army, at a time when computers were the size of a large room, and few people knew how to run them. He was devoted to his work, especially while he was partnered in business with his second wife Joan, and it took him many years of semi-retirement before he was able to stop working completely. After retirement, he developed an appreciation of travel by sea, and he took many cruises to places he had always wanted to visit. His passion for fishing and desire for a more relaxed lifestyle brought him to Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, where he lived close to the lake. Jerry was a constant presence in the lives of his children and grandchildren, who felt his love for them in his attentiveness, thoughtfulness, and patience. He usually kept his emotions to himself, except when he spoke about his memories of his mother and father. He was a kind-hearted and exceptional man, and he will be missed. He is survived by his sons Matthew and David, daughter-in-law, Jessica, daughter-in-law-to-be, Annie, 3 grandchildren, Sidney, Jordan, and Harrison, and sister-in-law Marlene. He is preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Mildred, his brother Michael, and his former wife of 16 years, Joan (nee Zavadil). Per his wishes, cremation rites have been accorded and there will be no services. If you wish to make a donation in his name, please visit the Cubs Care donation page. He had a soft spot for people who were down on their luck and the Cubs' charities provide services for youth and families in the Chicago area. http://mccormickfoundation.org/cubs-care/