Jay Ryan White

1946 - 2025

Jay Ryan White
August 20, 1946 - July 14, 2025
It is with great sadness, that our family announces the passing of Jay Ryan White, 78, of Wenatchee who passed away on July 14, 2025.
Jay was born in Ephrata, Washington to Olive Emma (Ryan) White and John Harvey White on August 20, 1946. He was raised in Ephrata and attended Ephrata schools. After graduation, he attended Big Bend Community College and Columbia Basin College in Pasco. In 1970, Jay graduated from Eastern Washington State College (now EWU), with a B.A. in Business and Marketing.
Jay met Carmen Johnson in 1963 at an ERC KOVE dance when he was a junior in high school. They dated most of their high school years, and married in Ephrata on November 5, 1966. Jay and Carmen began their new married lives in Ephrata, but spent many years living in Yakima, Blue Lake (Coulee City), and Wenatchee.
Jay loved cars! In 1974, he saw an ad in a Portland newspaper for a 1963 Corvette split window. He sent his friend, who lived in the Portland area, to go and check it out. By the end of the day, he had purchased it sight unseen, for a mere $600.00. Jay often referred to himself as a "Corvette Nut", which none of us disputed! At one point, he opened his own car lot in Yakima Ryan's House of Hardtops. As a hobby, he purchased dozens of cars over the years to restore, and met several lifelong friends along the way. They would all gather at the Corvette swap meets and car shows to share their latest car stories. A few years ago, Jay began collecting neon signs and proudly displayed them in his garage. Music was important to him, and he enjoyed watching and listening to his collection of concert DVDs.
Jay spent twenty-seven years working in the newspaper business. In 1970, he went to work for the Yakima Herald-Republic and in 1982, he took a position with the Wenatchee World. He was in a number of sales positions, and achieved the title of Advertising Director. In 2002, following the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Jay went to work for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and served in that position for three years. In 2005, he worked for Peninsula Packaging (now Polymerpak) based out of Exeter, CA. He loved his job, and sold packaging for apples and cherries in this area. He often travelled to California on "business" which Carmen referred to as "monkey business"! While there, Jay and friends would spend their free time driving cattle on horseback he loved horses, too.
Jay was a gentle, generous, hardworking man. He loved his family and his dog, Lexee, with all his heart. He fished and tubed with the grandkids, and was an avid fan of the Seahawks and NASCAR racing. The family enjoyed numerous trips to the Oregon Coast and countless weekends at their home on Blue Lake, near Coulee City. After 30 years, they made a final move to Wenatchee. He was a member of the Wenatchee First United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife Carmen White of Wenatchee, son Chad White of Moses Lake, daughter Landee Ward of Manson, son Jeff White of East Wenatchee, and brother Larry White of Coulee City. Additional survivors include 7 grandchildren (Kjirstin, Trevor, McKenzie, Maddee, Baylee, Spencer and Maycee), 4 great-grandchildren (Carson, Aiden, Ethan, and Serenity), 1 great-great grandchild (Eden), Beverly White, and Deanna and Brian Lovgren.
Jay was preceded in death by his mother and father, brother (Donald White), two nephews (Russell White and Drew Latham), and brother-in-law (Steve Billingsley).
Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service on August 4, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 941 Washington Street, Wenatchee, WA. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Jay's name to the "2025 Walk to End Alzheimer's Wenatchee", or the Wenatchee First United Methodist Church. Please express your thoughts and memories for the family at www.nicolesfuneralhome.com.