John James White

John James White was born April 16, 1931 in the Bronx, to John J. and Mae White. John was known for his well-honed sense of humor, his generosity, integrity, thoughtfulness, and devotion to his family. Growing up, he loved to play stickball in the street. When he was very young, he had a job at the corner bakery pushing a pram to another nearby bakery to pick up baked goods for the corner bakery to sell. He later worked at the pony rides at the Bronx Zoo and, as a teenager, his job selling peanuts at Yankee Stadium earned him the nickname Peanuts. Johns love of the game continued as his sons grew up, and he often took them to opening day at Yankee Stadium. John was a graduate of Regis High School in 1948 and of Fordham University in 1952. In college, he joined the Air Force ROTC program so he could play basketball in their well-regarded league. He served as sergeant in the United States Army during the Korean War. Upon his return to New York, he started a career in the timber industry that began with sales and culminated with him running the plywood and overlay products business for two sussive companies. John married Carol Grace Wagner, on November 15, 1958. They lived in Jackson Heights, Queens, and eventually settled in Somerset, New Jersey to raise their boys. John enjoyed playing both basketball and volleyball at the local swim club. Always very active in the church, he and Carol ran the carnival and the plant sale for the boys school, Saint Matthias. He relocated to Washington State with his wife and two sons in 1976. After retiring in 1999, he enjoyed visiting local wineries and made many dear friends in the Woodinville wine community. He always had a cookie in his pocket to share with the neighborhood dogs and always had feeders out for the abundant hummingbirds in his yard. Whether he was grilling you a steak or serving you his famous cheesecake, he was an excellent cook and you were in for a treat. Most of all he loved time spent with family and spent many weekends attending his grandchildrens sporting events. John was a long-time member of the Knights of Columbus. John passed away June 7, 2017. He is survived by his wife, sons John (Joan) and Kevin (Jennifer,) and grandchildren Mary Grace, Emily, Monica, Alex, John, and James. The funeral Mass was held on June 17, 2017 at 11:00 at St. Theresa of Calcutta. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish, where John was an active parishioner, or to The New York Police and Fire Widows and Childrens Benefit Fund ( href=http://www.answerthecall.org/ target=_blank http://www.answerthecall.org/ ) 156 West 56th Street, Suite 901 New York, NY 10019, a cause that John supported in memory of his father, who served as a policeman and later as a firefighter in New York City.