Joe White

Joseph White, 92, of Iowa Falls, passed away on Sunday, February 2, 2020, at Scenic Manor in Iowa Falls. A memorial service will be 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 15, 2020, at the First United Methodist Church in Iowa Falls. Visitation will be an hour before the service. The Surls Funeral Home in Iowa Falls is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Calkins Nature Area, First United Methodist Church or Care Initiatives Hospice.

Joseph Raymond White was born on a farm near Nemaha, Iowa, on January 1, 1928, to Daniel C. and Anna F (Holladay) White. He graduated from Nemaha High School in 1946 and farmed for 5 years after high school. He attended Iowa State University from 1952-1956 and received his BS and MS degrees from there. He taught Vocational Agriculture at Ventura, Iowa, for one year, then taught at Iowa Falls High School for 15 years, where he was fondly referred to as “Papa Joe” by his ag students. He then taught at Ellsworth Community College for 18 years, retiring in 1990.

He married Doris L. E. Hanover in Nemaha on June 18th, 1950. They had four children: Christine, Kenneth, Donald, and Kevin.

Joe chaired numerous local, state, and regional committees and received several awards and honors from educational organizations. He was an active member of the First United Methodist Church and served on the Ellsworth College Board of Trustees for 18 years.

Joe loved teaching and was very proud of his students, many of whom have continued to be friends. He also loved fishing, woodworking, traveling with Doris, playing bridge, being outdoors, going to coffee with the guys, and his nightly glass of bourbon.

He is survived by Chris of Clear Lake, Don of Houston, Texas, Kevin (Jane Tidball) of Lakewood, Colorado, and grandson Daniel White of Ft. Worth, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his wife Doris, son Kenneth, brothers Dallas, and Jerry (killed in Okinawa), Dan and Dale, and sisters Elva, Roberta, and Ruth.