Dr. Lonnie Joe White

Dr. White was born February 12, 1931, on a farm in the Cliff community

of Haskell County Texas. He graduated from O'Brien High School in

1947, moved with his parents to Hale County, and attended Wayland

Baptist College in Plainview, Texas. He married Nancy Evans of White

Deer, Texas, in 1951. He earned degrees from West Texas State, Texas

Tech, and the University of Texas at Austin, taught history as a

teaching assistant at Texas, and retired emeritus professor of history

from the University of Memphis, Tennessee in 1989.

Lonnie was an athlete and pianist in his youth, worked for two years at

a gas refinery in the Oklahoma Panhandle, served in the Army during the

Korean War, held a private pilot's license, and was a frequent traveler

in retirement. He has lived in Texarkana and been a member of First

Baptist Church, Moores Lane, and the WOW Sunday School class since

moving to Texarkana in 1993.

Dr. White was the author of numerous articles and book reviews printed

in professional journals. Four of his eight published books dealt with

Arkansas territorial politics, Indian battles and campaigns in the

West, and the 36th and 90th Texas-Oklahoma Divisions in World War One.

Old Mobeetie and the Red River Indian War were the subject of two

edited books. He was an associate editor of Journal of the West for 25

years, was a member of several professional associations, including

life memberships in the American and Southern Historical Associations,

and was recognized in a number of biographical publications including

the Marquis Who's Who in America.

He is preceded in death by his parents, John A. and Fannie Coates White

of Knox City and Plainiew, one brother, John B. White of Lubbock, and

his grandparents James and Effie White and Charles and Emma Coates of

Knox City.

Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Nancy, whom he met at Wayland

in 1948, one son Dr. John Evans White of Albuquerque, one daughter

Brenda White Holman and husband Dr. Steven W. Holman of Texarkana,

and six grandchildren: John Alexander, James Edward, and Suzanne

Evelyn White; Michelle Anne and Dustin White Holman, Jennifer Holman

Letz and husband Alan, along with two great-grandchildren Elizabeth

Anne and David Andrew Letz.

Funeral service will be 10am Monday, March 2, 2015 at East Memorial Chapel 2807 Moores Lane, Texarkana, TX with Rev. Larry Sims officiating.

Burial will be in Hillcrest Memorial Park under the direction of East Funeral Home-Moores Lane.

Family will receive friends from 2 to 4pm Sunday, March 1, 2015 at East Funeral Home-Moores Lane.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital,

Memphis, TN, or your favorite charity.

Online tributes can be posted at www.eastfuneralhomes.com