Leslie White

LESLIE "LES" "DICK" WHITE Passed away in Oakland, October 19, 2004, at the age of 66. He was born in Kiln, Miss., and was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Bertha M. White, and siblings, Samuel, Joseph, Clara Belle, Willie Mae and Ruth Thelma. He leaves behind a twin brother, Lester "Red" Wilfred Mayfield, and sisters, Troy Smith, Dorothy "Wilton" Batitse, Audrey P. Brown, Bobbie L. Crowder, and sister-in-law Louise White. Les served four years in the U.S. Army. In 1967 he attended the University of New Mexico on a football scholarship and later taught English and Literature in the Portland, Oregon, School District. in 1968 Less took up tennis as a recreational sport, fell in love with the sport and became an ardent student of the game. Les came to Alameda in 1978, where he met Dave Fairfield, who invited him to assist him with the tennis program at Alameda High School. According to Dave, Les was the best thing that could have happened to their program. Les was very instrumental in helping coach both the boys and the girls teams to over 40 ACAL and EBAL League singles and doubles championships and also over ten North Coast singles and doubles championships. Many of the players he worked with at the school level and through his Les White Tennis Clinic have gone on to receive scholarships to play at the college level and some at the professional level. In 1992 Les received the "TENNIS COACH OF THE YEAR" award during the Virginia Slims Tennis Tournament being held at the Oakland Coliseum for his "Inner City Youth Program" for underprivileged kids. He also wrote a column titled "Les White's Tennis Tips" for the Alameda Journal for many years. Besides his love for tennis, Les also had a love for poetry and free-hand drawing. Les touched so many lives during his involvement with tennis for over 37 years and will be missed by all of those he touched. He usually could be found on the tennis courts seven days a week and most times until after dark. With Les "It was not all about money it was about his love for the game of tennis and making sure that every kid received an opportunity to learn the game he loved so much." Memorial services will be held on tennis court #6 at Alameda High School on October 27, 2004, at 10 a.m., with Rev. Roger Bauer officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Elmhurst Tennis Center, P.O. Box 43654, Oakland, CA 94624, Alameda Meals on Wheels or the American Cancer Society. For further information, please call: Greer Family Mortuary, Alameda (510) 865-3755