Jean Bickmore White

Jean Bickmore White 1924 ~ 2009 Jean Bickmore White, 84, passed away March 3, 2009, in Salt Lake City, Utah.She was born April 12, 1924 in Hyrum, Utah to Lettie Critchlow and Danford M. Bickmore. She grew up in Paradise, Utah, and graduated from South Cache High School in 1942. She attended Brigham Young University where she was the first woman editor of the Y News and member of the debate team. She transferred to the University of Utah where she was the editor of the Chronicle and a writer for the Deseret News and the Salt Lake Tribune. She was affiliated with Pi Beta Phi, Mortar Board, Phi Beta Kappa, and Phi Kappa Phi. After graduating from the U. in 1947, she received a master of arts degree in political science from UCLA in 1949 where she was a teaching fellow. Jean married John Stephen White in 1951 at the Pi Beta Phi sorority house at the U. The young couple soon headed to New York where Jean worked at Charm magazine while Steve attended Columbia University. They eventually settled in Farmington, Utah, to raise their two children, Barbara and John. Jean did freelance research, writing and editing and started her own advertising agency in the 1960s while raising her children, eventually returning to the U. to earn a doctorate in political science in 1968. A political science faculty member from 1969 to 1989 at Weber State University in Ogden, she was also active in community and state affairs and was proud to be a Utah Democrat. She served as the first chairman of the Davis County Mental Health Advisory Council and later on the Davis County Board of Health. She served on the Utah Constitutional Revision Commission, the Utah State Board of Corrections and the Utah State Records Committee and also was a consultant on several local government studies. Jean relished her time at Weber State and enjoyed her associations with her colleagues and students. She directed an internship program for Weber at the Utah Legislature and encouraged her students to become active participants in community affairs. Her interest in Utah political history continued throughout her academic career, and after her retirement, she published numerous papers, articles and an award-winning book. She did post-doctoral work at Princeton University, Rice University and the London School of Economics. A member of the LDS Church, she served as a teacher in various organizations and as a ward organist in Farmington. She loved music and the arts, and she and Steve enjoyed the symphony, theater and travel. They traveled to India, China, Russia and other far-flung places and also enjoyed their treks around the United States. Jean will be remembered for her keen intellect, thirst for knowledge and her ability to inspire her students and family. She loved to entertain and spend time with her family. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, John S. White; children, Barbara Gingery (Lyle) of Salt Lake City; and John S. White, Jr. (Barbara) of Farmington; grandchildren, Beth and Tess Gingery and Karl White; and sister, Barbara Sessions (Sterling D.) Of Ogden. She was preceded in death by 10 siblings. The family would like to thank the staff at Brighton Gardens in Salt Lake City for their loving care of our mother during these difficult past six years and for the love and kindness they have shown to us. And thanks to Hospice for Utah for helping us through the final days of Mom's life. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, March 7, 2009, at Russon Brothers Bountiful Mortuary, 295 North Main, where a visitation will be held from 9:45 - 10:45 a.m. prior to services. Interment-Farmington City Cemetery. Online guest book at www.russonmortuary.com In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association of Utah, 855 East 4800 South, Suite 100, Murray, Utah 84107.