John Patrick White Sr.

John Pat was born in Dothan, Alabama in 1922 and grew up in Birmingham. He was a member of the Boy Scouts and graduated from Woodlawn High School in 1940, and then attended Paul Hayne Trade School. He met his wife of 76 years, Madge Griffin, when she moved across the street from him in Woodlawn and they married in 1942. John Pat served in the Army Air Corps during World War II from 1943-1946. After the war, he worked as a railway mail clerk, then for the U.S. Postal Service as a clerk and finally a Post Office mechanic until retirement in 1978. Mr. White was a deacon, Sunday school teacher, and church Training Union leader. Over the years he has been a member of Woodlawn Baptist Church, First Baptist Church of Springville, Spring Valley Baptist, and, most recently, Central Baptist Church of Argo. He loved being around and teaching kids, delighting in hiking, caving, and even visiting his young Sunday school kids on Christmas morning to see what Santa brought. John Pat was an avid photographer, inventor, ham radio operator, and gardener.

Mr. White was preceded in death by his brother, Strauss White, Jr., his parents, W. Strauss White, Sr. and Florence Mann White, and his son, John Patrick White, Jr. He is survived by his wife, Madge Griffin White, his daughters, Jean Hilton of Argo, AL, Kimberly Moore (David) of Durham, NC, and daughter-in-law Florentine White of Glenn Heights, TX, his grandchildren, Becky Warren (Steve) of Coosada, AL, Elane Wilbourn (J.D.) of Marfa, TX, Dana Watkins (Chris) of Ovilla, TX, Ian Moore of Raleigh, NC, and Alec Moore of Durham, NC, 7 great grandchildren, and 5 great-great granddaughters.

Mr. White’s funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Central Baptist Church of Argo with burial following at Springville Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the service at 11:00.