James White

James R. White, N8XTL, age 82, passed away on December 31, 2014 at Summa of Akron. He was born in the Highland Park section of Louisville, Kentucky on August 15, 1932. Mr. White attended St. Leo the Great Elementary School and graduated from St. Francis Xavier High School in 1950. Jim graduated from Speed Scientific School of the University of Louisville with a B. Ch. E in 1955. He then served in the US Army (1956-1958) as an instructor at the Guided Missile School, Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama. After his military service, Jim returned to the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company Research Laboratory. He received his MS in Engineering from the University of Akron in 1962. Jim was employed at the Goodyear Research Laboratory for over 37 years, where he was the manager of the Research Building for 18 years. He retired from Goodyear in 1991 as Manager of Research Engineering. Jim was a Registered Professional Engineer in Ohio. Mr. White served as Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 96 for 12 years and served on the Troop Committee since 1985. Awards he received from the Boy Scouts of America include: District Award of Merit, Silver Beaver and Vigil Honor of the Order of the Arrow. Jim was also awarded the Bronze Pelican and the St. George Award by the Catholic Committee of Scouting. He was awarded the Wood Badge Beads in 1983. Jim has served on the staff of nine Boy Scout Wood Badge Training Courses and served as Course Director of Wood Badge Course C-7-97. He was a four-bead Wood Badge Scouter. Jim had been a regular donor to the Red Cross Blood Program since 1958 and currently had donated over 23 gallons of blood. His memberships include: the South Akron Council 3410 Knights of Columbus since 1959, the Msgr. O'Keefe 4th Degree Assembly since 1961 and the Mark Heffernan Division, Ancient Order of Hibernians. He was a licensed Ham Radio Operator, call N8XTL, a member of the Cuyahoga Falls Amateur Radio Club and the American Radio Relay League. Jim had been a member of the St. Sebastian Catholic Church since 1958 and had served as an usher for over 25 years. He was also a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel in south Akron and St. Therese of the Child Jesus Church in Parma where only the traditional Tridentine Latin Mass is celebrated in both churches. He was also a member of the Holy Name Society. Preceded in death by brother, John E. White; father, James H. White and mother, L. Ruth White; he is survived his wife of 56 years, Marie T. of Tallmadge; son, David J. White and his wife, Amanda L. Smith of Waco, Texas and daughter, Ellen M. White and her husband, Robert A. Recny of Beaverton, Oregon; sister, Janet Jarboe and her husband Michael Jarboe of Shepherdsville, Kentucky; 3 nieces, 1 nephew, 3 great-nieces, and 1 great nephew. Calling hours will be held at the Hummel Funeral Home, 500 E. Exchange St. in Akron from 4-7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2014, where the rosary will be prayed at 6:30 p.m. Requiem Mass will be offered at St. Sebastian Church on Wednesday at 11 a.m. with Fr. Matthew Pfeiffer officiating. Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery in Akron. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.