Nicholas Joseph White

Nicholas Joseph White Sr., 94, of St. Joseph, passed away Thursday, December 17, 2009, at Lakeland Continuing Care Center in St. Joseph. Nick was born on September 14, 1915 in Gillespie, IL, the son of Lithuanian immigrants, Thomas and Katherine (Neuronis) White. On July 27, 1937, he married Verna Elaine Hanover in Sawyer, MI. After graduating from the Illinois Institute of Technology as a licensed Electrical Contractor, they settled in Berrien County where they raised five children. Nick was employed for forty years with Clark Equipment Company where he worked as Superintendent of Plant Maintenance. He received advanced training in supervision and management at the University of Notre Dame. Nick was an instructor of Industrial Technology at Lake Michigan College, focusing primarily on the millwright apprenticeship program. Nick had a very inventive mind and held several patents including one designing the first current field relay for arc welding for General Electric. Throughout his life he wore many hats as farmer, inventor, Master Electrician and electronics wizard. He had an innate sense of all things mechanical and was the “Go To” man to get any job done. Nick instilled a great love for music in his children, as his home was always filled with his accordion and harmonica playing. He and Verna were known to cut a rug polka and square dancing. His stories about his life were legendary and he was never afraid to bend an ear telling them to all who would listen. He could often be heard saying, “You follow me?” as he was giving a very long, long technical explanation. Nick was a friend to many. He was always using his inventiveness and many talents to help others. He once used a handsaw to divide his own house, then moved it down the road and gave it to a family member so their young family would have a place to call home. A vacation, “Up North”, was not a vacation unless shared with friends. Many people now have fond memories of “Fisher's cottage” spent boating, fishing and hiking through the woods in Cedarville, MI. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00AM, on December 21, 2009, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 211 Church St., St. Joseph with Msgr. Osborne, officiating. Burial will be at a later date in New Troy Cemetery. Friends may call upon the family on Sunday, December 20, 2009 , 2:00-4:00 PM at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Road, in St. Joseph. A Rosary will be said immediately following the visitation. The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Friends of New Troy Association through Starks-Menchinger family funeral home. Nick is survived by his children, Patricia Kathryne (Gerald) Bosch of Kalamazoo, Nicholas James (Kathy) White, Theresa Elaine Rahn, Michael Kevin (Marla) White each from ST. Joseph, and Nickey Anne (Mark) Misner of Carmel, IN; his grandchildren, John, Tom, David, Julie, Nicole, Nicholas, Christopher, Courtney, Chelsea, Bruce, Brian, Scott, Michael and Jacob, 22 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren. Nick was preceded in death by his loving wife, Verna Elaine (Hanover) White, his parents, Thomas and Kathryne White, brothers, George and Clem, and sisters, Isabele White, Francis McLaren and his twin sister, Brancis Cox. Family and friends are encouraged to sign the online guestbook and share their memories with the family at: www.starks-menchinger.com Nick learned from his parent's humble coal mining roots to provide and share not only for his family but for friends and neighbors as well. In his own words he was, “Just Nick.”