To Willard Eudious White, the entire world was a stage. an expressive, optimistic and uninhibited man, he was the main performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he was always happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Willard, pestering you was his way of telling you how much he loved you.
His parents were William Paul White and Hazel Dexter Horton. Willard was raised in Okemah, Oklahoma. Willard was the oldest of 7 children. He had 3 brothers and 3 sisters, Billy White, Dale White, Jerry White, Odessa White, Pauline Dotson and Myrtie Van Horn. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Willard was a great big brother but was also easygoing and fun loving. Even as a child, Willard had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention.
All of Willard‘s playful good humor carried over from his childhood. He had an outgoing personality, a lively imagination for life that allowed him to be a wonderful story teller. Willard never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Willard to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends.
The gift of being expressive and affectionate made Willard very easy to approach. On June 23, 1945 Willard exchanged wedding vows with Doris Stotts the love of his life, at a justice of the peace in Okemah, Oklahoma. He was always loving and loyal, and that was especially true in marriage.
Willard’s memorable achievements included, raising six beautiful daughters. Willard was blessed with six girls, Deborah Jean Landis, Paula Lorraine Tortolini and husband, Mike Brenda Sue Reed and husband, Rick, Beverly Ann Armstrong and husband, Tim, Sandra Lee McDonald and husband, Brent, Melanie Lynn Lyle and husband Gary. Willard had the ability to be a disciplinarian with just one look, or if he called your full name you knew you were in trouble.
Willard delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as part of his family. While growing up his brothers were his best friends. Later in life, JD and Juanita, Jack and Earlene, Bill Jean were all dear friends as well, they enjoyed playing wahoo and Dominoes, Willard loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he loved.
At work, as in life, Willard was a real “people person” he had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others. When dealing with various projects and problems, Willard was a down to earth thinker, which allowed him to be an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was upholsterer. He joined the business working side by side with his wife. He was employed for 50 years doing the job he loved, alongside his best friend.
Willard enjoyed his leisure time by watching television, old westerns were his favorites. He could watch Bonanza over and over and over again and would talk to the television and tell them what was going to happen next…like “Don’t go around that corner…you’ll get shot” and then they would do it and he would say…”I told you so you stupid son of a well…you know what he said”. Willard was also a beautiful craftsman. He could look at anything and figure out how to make it. He made beautiful spinners, birdhouses, wishing wells. Marshmallow guns and outdoor games and don’t forget the earrings…when he would help Doris make earring, he would always say that his earrings are the best…everybody will love his creations the best…so of course all of his girls would fight over the earrings he made. He would just beam with pride.
Willard believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 2004, Willard took it in stride as one more way to have fun. His new life involved family gatherings with his family and enjoying time spent with his wife, children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. In retirement, he found new pleasure in fishing, camping and playing cards with all their friends at the lake. Even in retirement, Willard continued to stay in touch with his old friends and since he never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.
In later years when it was just him and Doris he did have another love…her name was Baby she was a skinny little weenie dog when they got her…but he loved to feed her and she loved to eat so they were the perfect pair. She was by his side when he lost his first love and she stayed by his side until he left this earth.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18