John White

John Kermit "Killer" White, 76, of Crawford, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and uncle, died on October 16, 2019. A native son of Oglethorpe County, John was born in Crawford on August 9, 1943.
John was the third son of the late Floyd H. White and Lois Morgan White. John was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers William "Bill" and Paul "Jungle Cat" White; and one daughter, Rhonda Denise White (d. 2013).
John is survived by his wife of 59 years, Florine Holmes White; three daughters, Angela (Michael) Sims of Hartwell; Rae (Bob) McElhannon of Athens; and Dierdre White of Crawford. John was a loving grandfather to Haley McElhannon of Athens and Garrett (Alexis) McElhannon of Conyers.
John and Florine were high school sweethearts from the OCHS Class of 1961. John was active in high school sports. He retired after 36 years from Westinghouse/ABB in Athens. During his career there, John went from working on the floor as a coil winder to Manufacturing Manager. John also worked in his retirement for a number of years at the USDA Richard B. Russell Research Center in Athens. John leaves many friends from both locations.
In his 30s and 40s John was very active in the Oglethorpe Jaycees. He loved spending time with his family. That family includes a number of cousins in the Morgan, White, and Holmes families. John loved a cold beverage, a smoke, and a good laugh. He enjoyed cooking and was an excellent grill man. His BBQ and hash were well-known throughout Oglethorpe County. Hundreds of pounds of pork and chicken have been lovingly handled by Big John. Raised in the Baptist church, he had a strong Christian faith. John was loved by many and will be sorely missed.
The White family will receive friends on Saturday, October 19, from 10:00 a.m. until noon at Lord and Stephens, East Chapel. Those desiring to make contributions in John's memory may send them to Oglethorpe County Future Farmers of America, 749 Athens Rd., Lexington, GA 30648, Attn: Robert Jackson.
Lord and Stephens Funeral Home, EAST, Athens, GA, is in charge of arrangements. www.lordandstephens.com