CSM (Ret) A.B. White

Memorial service for CSM (Ret) A.B. White, 85, of Lawton will be at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February 24, 2017 at Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Dennis Dawson officiating. 

Mr. White passed away on Sunday, February 19, 2017 in Lawton.

A.B. was born on October 8, 1931 in Shreveport, Louisiana to Newgene and Cleo (Lias) White.  He grew up in Shreveport where he attended school. The family lived and worked on a cotton farm in Shreveport until 1945 when they moved to a small town of Hockley, TX where A.B. again worked on a farm until 1948 when he went to work at a Hunting and Fishing Club in Rockport, TX as a waiter until 1952 when he was inducted into the United States Army. He served in Korea from May of 1953 until September of 1954, Germany from June of 1956 until December of 1958, returning to Korea from June 1962 until June of 1963, and June 1965 until June of 1966, Vietnam from August of 1967 until August of 1968, Germany from September of 1968 until May of 1971, Vietnam from June 1971 until March of 1972, and Germany and Greece from June of 1974 until May of 1977. From June of 1977 until December of 1978, he was the adviser to National Guard. He received many awards ad medals including the National Defense Service Medal with first Oak Leaf Cluster, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, Korean Service Medal with one Service Star, Aircraft Crewman Badge, Army Commendation Medal with fifth Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal, eight Overseas Service Bars, United Nations Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal with seventh award , Air Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with first Oak Leaf Cluster, Vietnam Service Medal with six Service Stars and the Expert Rifle Badge. Mr. White retired from the Army on December 31, 1978 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. While in military, he completed many courses including P.I. training in 1969 and was a Certified Locksmith. He completed a Master Appliance course from NRI in September of 1978 and a Carpenters course through Vo-Tech in January of 1981 and an Appliance Repairman course in 1983. A.B. owned and operated a remodeling business from 1983 until 1988 and then owned and operated White's Used Appliances from 1988 until 2008. A.B. married Helena M. Harmelen on May 21, 1971 in Houston, Texas. He enjoyed woodworking and made many Wagon Lamps that he sold all over the United States. 

He is survived by his wife, Helena White, of the home; his daughter, Pascall Osborne, of Lawton, OK; his brother and sister in law, Wilmer Lee  and Betty Biggom, of Houston, TX; his sister, Dorothy Price, of Houston, TX; two grandchildren, Rachel Edwards and her husband, Thaddeus, and Joshua White and his wife, Brittany, all of Lawton, OK; three great grandchildren, Zamir Edwards, Xayden White and Cameron White; and numerous nieces and nephews.     

He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother, George Williams; and two sisters, Rosie Evans and Willie Jean Biggom.

 Service Information