Star Beacon
CONNEAUT —
Joseph F. White, age 97, of Conneaut, died early Thursday, April 5, 2012, at The Villa at the Lake.
Joe was born March 31, 1915, in Conneaut, the son of Francesco and Judith (Petrucella) Bianco. He attended St. Mary Grade School and was a 1934 graduate of Conneaut High School. In high school, he excelled in football and lettered 3 years in a row. Also while in high school, he caddied at the Conneaut Shores Golf Course and continued for a while after graduation.
He worked a short time for the Nickel Plate Railroad as a Blacksmith to help bend and shape the rails, then he went off to sail. He sailed the Great Lakes from 1936 to 1940 as the wheels-man on an ore carrier of the Pittsburgh Steamship Company and then proudly served our country in the United States Navy from 1941 to 1946 as a Boatswain’s Mate First Class. He served in the Atlantic in England, the Mediterranean, and then went to the Pacific Theater. He was also at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
After the war, Joe came back home and worked again for the Nickel Plate Railroad and then worked for Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company for 24 1/2 years until his retirement in 1980. During retirement, golf was still his competitive outlet. You could find Joe at Windy Hill Golf Course helping out, at Rose Lumber (now JR Lumber) or at home mowing the lawn and taking care of his home.
In December 2008, Joe was inducted into the Ashtabula County Football Hall of Fame, thanks to the efforts of his lifelong friend and fellow classmate, John McNutt.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Julia (Sabo) White in 2002, whom he married on March 30, 1950 at St. Mary Church; his two brothers, Charles White in 1992 and Anthony White in 2005; and his sister, Catherine (White) Rich in 2011.
Joe is survived by his niece, Cathy (Rich) Loomis and her husband Randy and their son, Jason of Conneaut, who took care of him; his sisters, Louise (White) Buckley of Ashtabula and Sister Theresa White, HM of Grand Island, Neb.; his brother, Brother Valentino Bianco, CFA of Elk Grove Village, Ill.; nieces and nephews, Sister Therese Ann Rich OSU, of Canfield, Ohio, Paul and JoAnn Rich of Walton Hills, Ohio, Christine (Buckley) and Lou Bodine of Ashtabula, Doreen (Buckley) and Bob Barlow of Ashtabula, Sandy (White) Simpson of Jacksonville, Fla., Bonnie (White) Harris of Daniels Island, S.C., Judy (White) Kirkbaumer and John White, both of Akron, Ohio, Bonnie (Sabo) and Ike Herb of Perrysburg, Ohio, Bob and Bev Sabo of Naperville, Ill., Dolly and Bob Waddle of Haines City, Fla. and Carol Kilker of Trinity, Fla.; and several great and great-great-nieces and nephews.
Joe was a member of St. Mary/ St. Frances Cabrini Parish and the American Legion Cowle Post 151.
Calling Hours will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Monday, April 9th, at RAISIAN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 581 Harbor St., Conneaut, Ohio.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 10th, at St. Mary Church, 480 State St., Conneaut, with Father Philip Miller officiating. Burial will follow at Glenwood Cemetery, Route 20, Conneaut.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary/ St. Frances Cabrini Capital Campaign Fund. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
Obituary and condolences at www.raisianfuneralhome.com and starbeacon.com.
