Obituary
Gardner ‘Doc’ White passed away on August 6. Born on February 28, 1934, Doc grew up in Island Park on Long Island, New York, coming from humble beginnings out of the ashes of the Great Depression. His dad William “Bill” White, an orphan equipped with an 8th grade education, worked at the Racquet & Tennis Club on Park Avenue in Manhattan for many years. Doc’s mom Ethel (Speer) left home at age 16 to become a showgirl, joining a vaudeville troupe that was passing through upstate New York in the roaring 1920s.
Doc was a childhood nickname his gang of friends imprinted on him in grade school. It stuck. He graduated from Oceanside High School and went on to the University of Connecticut where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education and ran track. He met his life partner, Meredith “Merrie” White, at Storrs and they married in August,1959.
Doc taught in the East Hartford school system and served two years in the United States Army. He went on to have a 36-year career as a stockbroker and partner with the investment firm Brown Lisle/Cummings in Providence.
Doc and Merrie put down stakes in East Greenwich in 1968, where they lived for more than 30 years, raising their three children before dividing their time and eventually hanging up their cleats in Wickford and Fort Myers, Fla.
He was an active member of the community, serving as a board member for Big Brothers of Rhode Island, the John Clarke Retirement Center and the Quidnessett Memorial Cemetery. Doc chaired the renovation project for the Old Kent County Courthouse, which among other things was the site of the founding of the U.S. Navy during the start of the Revolutionary War.
Doc’s interests included avidly following sports (all New England teams and especially UConn – well before Storrs became the Basketball Capital of the World), gardening at home and at the church, playing golf and delving into history – especially the Civil War and WWII. He cherished his friends (Club 63) and found comfort and common cause in his church community.
Doc loved telling stories, especially his own which he collected, embellished upon, repeated over many years and shared with anyone who would listen. As a long-time Stephen Minister, he found his calling (and a captive audience) in his later years, visiting with others who were struggling.
Merrie, his loving wife of 66 years, preceded him in heaven earlier this year. Doc is survived by his children Heather (Warwick, R.I.) and grandson Nicholas Illuzzi (and his wife Lila), Marshall (Seffner, Fla.) and Stephen (Charlotte, N.C.), his wife Barbara and grandsons Will and Sam. Remembrance gifts may be made to Covenant Presbyterian Church 2439 McGregorBlvd, Fort Myers, FL 33901 and/or First Baptist Church, 30 Pierce Street, East Greenwich, RI 02818.
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