Ray White

Ray S. WHITE Ray was born July 14, 1908 in Cobool, Missouri, and died at the Ida Culver Nursing Center in Seattle December 14. He is survived by his loving wife Florence; one brother Herald Reid; two sons, Robert and Lon; seven grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. Ray moved from Missouri to Emmett, Idaho at age 8. As a young man he worked as a logger and miner in Central Idaho. In 1936, he and Florence built a bar and restaurant in Yellowpine, ID., which they operated until 1944. They then lived briefly in McCall, then in Boise from 1947 until 1962, when they moved to Seattle. Ray served in the Infantry in WWII on Okinawa. He obtained a realty brokers license in Boise and established his own real estate company there in the early 1950's. In the late 1950's he worked as an appraiser for the Federal Housing Administration in Boise and subsequently as chief appraiser for the Army Corps of Engineers in Seattle, retiring in 1972. Ray and Florence lived in Bothell (Holly Hills) from 1972 to 1997, following which they moved to the Ida Culver Retirement Home. During his long, adventure-rich life, Ray worked as a fruit tramp, boot leg liquor transporter, firefighter, rancher, barn and restaurant entrepreneur, fur trapper, miner, logger, carpenter, salesman, real estate broker, and commercial appraiser. Renowned and admired for the activities he most enjoyed, fishing, hunting, pinochle, cribbage, coin collecting, mushroom hunting, gardening, golfing, billiards, and story telling. He was a true American original. A Memorial Service will be held at the Broadview Ida Culver House on Friday, December 17th. Call (206) 367-8185 for more information. Donations in his memory may be made to the Community Services for the Blind.