William E. “Gene” White
William E. “Gene” White, 93, of Rossville, passed away on Monday, October 23, 2023.
Gene was born on Oct. 10, 1930, in DeKalb County, Al., to his late parents, father, Rufus White and mother, Mary Worley White. He was a member of the First Baptist Church Rossville and member of Buck Brown’s Sunday school class.
A graduate of the class of 1950 at Fyffe High School, Fyffe, Al., Gene was an all-around sports person. For his school’s Red Devils’ sports teams, he was captain of the basketball team in 1949 and 1950 and lettered in football and baseball. His basketball awards included All-County and All-District 1950, and All-State 1949 and 1950. Scholarships were awarded by Jacksonville State and Snead Junior College but he opted to join the Peerless Woolen Mills team in Rossville, where he played in the semi-pro Dixie Basketball League for several years. Gene officiated basketball in Chattanooga and north Georgia for more than 20 years. He was inducted into the DeKalb County Sports Hall of Fame 2004 in ceremonies held at Rainsville High School, Rainsville, Al.
Gene had an enjoyable career in textiles in Rossville, Ga., first with the Hutcheson family-owned Peerless Woolen Mills and later with Rossville Yarn, retiring in 1996 as a department head.
He was preceded in death by son, Bill White; his parents; brothers, Hoyt and Carl White; and sister, Lora D. Swancy.
Survivors include his high school sweetheart and loving wife of 70 plus years, Vera Westbrook White; grandson, Cameron White; sisters-in-law, Doris White and Sarah White; brother-in-law, Edd (Ila) Westbrook; nieces, Carla White (Scott) Elrod and Belinda White (Alan) Crisman, and Lana Westbrook (Glen) McGee; nephews, Joey (Delane) Westbrook, Kerry (Amanda) Westbrook and Scot (Rebecca) Westbrook; and extended family.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made in Gene’s name to your favorite charity.
Condolences may be shared with the White family and live webcasting of the funeral service will be available at www.lane-southcrestchapel.com.
Funeral services will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. in the South Crest Chapel with Reverend David Tullok and Reverend Joel Westbrook officiating.
Interment will follow in the Lakewood South Memory Gardens.
The family will receive friends Thursday from 11 a.m. until the funeral hour at the South Crest Chapel of Lane Funeral Home and Crematory, Rossville.