Clyde "Jim" James White, Jr.

Jim was diagnosed at the end of April with cancer and was gone by June 4th. He was a proud Dallas Sunset Bison ’67.

Jim’s first lottery was the draft and he was number 2. He was drafted and served in Korea during the Vietnam War with Armed Forces Radio. In other words, he was “Good Morning, Seoul”. Radio was always a love. His first job was during high school on WRR. He was on many stations in Dallas such as KNUS, KEGL and KRLD, San Francisco and Chicago. He was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2010. He was honored by the Associated Press for Best Newscast and the Dallas Press Club. He was a TV weatherman in Tyler, the first environmental reporter in Texas and had roles in “JFK” and “Dallas”. As a member of The Vocal Majority, he won an International Chorus Championship. He used his beautiful voice well.

In 1995 Jim returned to Dallas from Chicago to work for KRLD. They asked him to create a radio show about restaurants, food and wine. The KRLD Restaurant Show with Jim White was born. Jim made many contributions to the City of Dallas. He was the co-founder of KRLD Restaurant Week, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, raising millions of dollars for the North Texas Food Bank and the Lena Pope Home. In 1999 he was finalist for the James Beard Foundation Best Radio Show on Food, the first radio show nominated west of the Hudson River. He hosted the first Celebrity Chef Kitchen at the State Fair of Texas and created the first wine tasting at the Fair. He created Savor Dallas to showcase the side of Dallas that wasn’t the stereotype, showing that Dallas has world class restaurants/chefs, citizens with sophisticated palates and access to world-class arts facilities. It was a love letter to the city.

He served on many boards, chaired events and was honored many times. As a member of the Advisory Board for the SMU Meadows School of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, he especially enjoyed working with the students.

He’s been a devoted member of Wilshire and the BEST Class for 20 years.

Remember to hug your family and friends, we never know when our life will change in an instant. I am blessed to have been married to Jim White. He was the most loving, endearing, precious person that I’ve ever met. A true gentleman with a passion for life, full of kindness, understanding and empathy is a rare man.

Surviving him is his loving wife Vicki Briley-White of Dallas, daughter Angela Peacock (Ricky) and grandson Preston. grandson Trenton Ayers (Erin) and great granddaughter Taryn Grace, brother David Beck (Patty) and their children Tina, JD, and Sarabeth, favorite cousin Peggy O’Neal. He’s also survived by the best mother-in-law ever Eloise Briley Cheney of Abilene, brother-in-law Robert O. Briley (Lou) and son Zach of Abilene. sister-in-law Kim Dickenson (Mike) of Abilene. Niece and nephews Parker Briley (Sara) and Olivia, Hunter Blair (Meaghan), Sam Dickenson (Marcia), Alexandra Briley Blair, John Connor Dickenson (Jho). Countless other family members and friends will also miss him. A special thanks to Melanie Christina, MD.

I will desperately miss my sweet husband. June 12 is our 26th anniversary. Remember to live your life with zero regrets.

A Celebration of Jim’s life is June 17 at 1:30pm at Wilshire Baptist Church ,4316 Abrams Road, Dallas, TX 75214.

Memorials: Pathways Foundation ℅ Wilshire Baptist Church (www.wilshirebc.org) or North Texas Food Bank (www.ntfb.org/jimwhite).

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com for the White family.