Sunset and evening star, And one clear call for me! And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea, From "Crossing the Bar," by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
In the month of his birth, Ray White fearlessly set sail on his final voyage. He was a beloved husband, father, friend and colleague; a vibrant soul who will be dearly missed. It was a great privilege and joy to be part of his world. Ray White has been honored throughout the world for pioneering discoveries in the realms of molecular biology, human genetics and cancer research. His gene mapping breakthroughs revolutionized human genetics, leading to the identification of cancer and other disease-causing genetic markers. This technology also became the gold standard in forensics, helping bring criminals to justice and freeing the wrongly accused. After completing a BS at the University of Oregon, Ray earned his PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and completed post-doctoral studies at Stanford University. At the University of Utah School of Medicine, he served as Co-Chairman of the Department of Human Genetics at the Eccles Institute, Chairman of the Department of Oncological Sciences, and founding Director of the Huntsman Cancer Institute, among other positions. He will always be grateful for the many years of support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute early in his career. Ray loved mentoring the many young scientists, graduate and post-doctoral students in his labs, and is remembered with enormous fondness. At UCSF Medical School, in 2002, he became Director of the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, Rudi Schmid Distinguished Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Neurology.
Elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Ray was also the recipient of a great many honors and awards. Among these are the Rosenstiel Award, the General Motors Charles S. Mott Prize, the Rosenthal Foundation Award, and the Robert Bourgine Cancer Prize.
Ray was an accomplished instrument-rated pilot and fearless sailor. He loved fly-fishing and floating western rivers. He was a skydiver in his 20s, and white-water rapids or a short field landing in a 1946 taildragger were fine fun for him. He and his wife, the artist Joan Distin White, have had many joyful adventures over their 50 loving years of marriage. Ray cherished his friends, colleagues, students and family, and all of the priceless times spent with them. He was known for his integrity, wit, charm, intelligence, energy and sense of humor. He never hesitated to leap forward into new, exciting and (often) uncharted territory, either in science or in nature.
His family will miss him dearly. He is predeceased by his son Jon Robert White, and his parents Larry and Margorie White. He is survived by his wife Joan, his daughter Juliette Palmer White (Jon Owen), his son Jeremy Distin White (Skylin), and his daughter Anne Marie White; his grandsons William Distin Owen and Benjamin Griffin Owen; and his sisters Susan Mckenzie, Ruth Germaine and Athalia White.
Ray was a member of St. Stephens Episcopal Church and the Corinthian Yacht Club in Tiburon, California.

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Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Oct. 12 to Oct. 14, 2018.

Memories and Condolences
for Raymond White

12 Entries

Jon Berkowitz

February 20, 2021

You could feel the waves of intelligence issuing from him. An inspiring person for whom to work.

Jon Berkowitz

November 26, 2019

Warm smile and temperament coupled with optimism and a keen sense of humor is how I remember Ray. In 1980 he generously made possible an eight-month internship in his lab in Worcester for two of us from Beloit College. In that internship, under the instruction of a senior tech, Annelie James, I worked on the chemistry of binding hDNA to diazotized paper, essentially the primitive precursor to Northern and Western blots. It was exhilarating what Ray made available to me in this intensive learning experience. He assured me he would have a job waiting for me in Utah after I went back to school to finish my work there. I will always be grateful for the two stints I worked for Ray and to be around such talented and kind people as were they who came to work for him in both Worcester and Salt Lake. My conldolences to his family for their loss of this great man.

Michael Long

January 5, 2019

I knew Ray from the early days in my career at Stanford Biochemistry dept 1975-ish. Recently I identified Ray's photo in a Nova special about James Watson.
Condolences to those who loved Ray.

Diane Isonaka

November 5, 2018

November 4, 2018

It is with great sadness that I learned about Ray's death. He was a colleague and a mentor who had a profound influence upon my career. As a young and untested administrator working for the state and the university many years ago, we shared some amazing adventures in the creation of special projects (including the Utah Resource for Genetic and Epi Research) and programs that had lasting impact. Ray's intellect and courage made him a visionary. Our paths would cross again later in California, and I will always remember him for his dedication to high ideals and to solving big problems.

My condolences to his family.

Frankie Hooks Muse

November 2, 2018

Joan, I am so sorry to hear about this sad news, and my thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. Frankie Hooks Muse

November 2, 2018

Ray was the founding Chair of the Department of Oncological Sciences at the University of Utah. He recruited me to the Department as a green Assistant Professor in 1995. I'll always remember the twinkle in his eyes, his keen insights and amazing intellect.Thank you for the opportunity and the mentorship! I don't think its a stretch to say that Huntsman Cancer Institute would not be where it is today without Ray's vision, effort and dedication.
My sincere condolences to Joan and the rest of Ray's family.
Don Ayer

Esther and Michael Paul

October 22, 2018

Our Remembrance of Ray....a commanding presence that filled the room embracing everyone nearby......a loving husband who would spontaneously invite Joan to dance even when no music was playing....a man whose kinship with and love of the sea shone in smiles and palpable energy when he was near or on the water.....He welcomed Sky into his family and into his heart.

Dan Fults, MD

October 22, 2018

Ray White was my scientific mentor when I joined the faculty at the University of Utah as a neurosurgeon in1987. Using the genetic mapping technology that Prof. White pioneered, we identified several genes important in malignant brain tumors. Ray always welcomed MDs, like me, into his lab. He was committed to the idea that improvements in cancer treatment would come from applying new knowledge about molecular biology to old problems in human medicine.

Steve Schrodi

October 22, 2018

I worked under Ray in the early 2000s and found him to be a brilliant scientist with such a deep, intuitive understanding of genetics. Ray was always a wonderful, supportive mentor and a good friend. After that time, we'd have lunch every so often or chat about science and genetic approaches in his office at the Gallo. I was continually impressed with his creativity and insights into science, people and the world. We've lost a great man who impacted the lives and careers of so many scientists. My deepest sympathies to his loved ones. Farewell, Ray.

Melanie Culver

October 15, 2018

Hoping Ray's family is finding comfort in their time of loss.... In my six years in Ray's lab, in the 1980s, I learned from Ray that integrity in science is the top priority. I left the lab knowing that Ray was an outstanding scientist, but more importantly, that he was a really good person.

Geoff Joslyn

October 15, 2018

As a grad student in the early 1980s I read the work coming from Ray White's lab and knew immediately that is where I wanted to be. Ray's Utah lab was both scientifically intense and socially just plain fun--it reflected Ray. Ray was the perfect mentor during my Post-Doc, steering me in a productive direction trough his questioning curiosity and insight. Ten years after leaving his lab, I joined up with Ray again in California, first in a biotech venture then back into an academic lab at the Gallo/UCSF. I was fortunate to work with Ray for 15 years in total. Ray White's ideas and work started the field of Genomics. Ray the person was a friend. I miss him.

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