Dec 29, 2021

It is with immense sadness, that the family of Ron White announce his passing. On December 27, 2021, Ron was finally dealt a hand he couldn’t win. The way he died is just like he lived: he wrote his own rules, he fought authority, if you said he couldn’t do it, he did it, and he paved his own way.

Ron was born in Uniontown, on May 25, 1950, a son of the late Ellen Cardarelli White and John Leslie White. He was one of four children, alongside his twin sister, Olivia, and brothers Jack and Richard “Dickie” White. They were raised in Republic.

In 1968, Ron graduated from Brownsville High School, where he excelled in basketball and football. He then took his football talents to Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, Ohio.

In the summer of 1967, while lifeguarding, Ron met his future wife, Verla Joan Reese, who survives. Four years later, on July 24, 1971, they got married. From the start of this romance and through all of the glory days, Verla showed unwavering and unconditional loyalty, commitment, and support. Of all of the people he touched, his proudest achievement in life was marrying Verla.

In May of 1975, Ron and Verla welcomed their first son, Ron “Bam Bam” White. In March of 1977, they welcomed their second son, Jason White. In a day and age where parents didn’t raise their own children, Ron and Verla also took on a parenting role to other kids in need of second and third chances. They are heroes for this.

In 1989, Ron and Verla moved their family to a 100 acre farm in Centerville. Ron found his calling when he became the owner/operator of Hugo’s Restaurant, just up the road for 28 years.

Ron was an expert card player. Pinochle was his game of choice. Without seeing your cards with his eyes, he knew what you were holding better than you did. On any given day, you can find him with a deck of cards shuffling and playing against himself. It is believed that he played against himself to give his “opponent” a fair chance.

Ron started numerous youth leagues in his community. He was an accomplished football coach, coaching at both Brownsville and Beth Center for over 20 years. He took a group of kids and went undefeated for six consecutive years.

Ron was a lot of things to a lot of people. He was a true renaissance man and the list is extensive. To name a few, he was a husband, a father, a brother, a cousin, a businessman, a coach, a philanthropist, a friend, a grandfather, a mayor, a patriarch, etc. He was all of these things and much more. He was the best at all of them all while being the guy next door.

Ron was a rare combination of someone who was always the smartest and most ambitious guy in the room, yet had a firm understanding of what was important, living a simple life with those he loved and cherished.

He had an acute awareness of the importance of the life lived with the ones he loved versus material possessions.

Surviving, in addition to his wife; are his sons, Ronald K. White, Jr. (Andrea), of Marianna, and Jason White (Melanie), of New Orleans, La.; a brother, Jack Leslie White, III. (Joanne), of Troutsville, Va.; a sister, Olivia Frazier, of Republic; a daughter, Terri White, of Centerville; five grandchildren, Ronald White, III., Dalton, Cheyenne, Brennan and Abby White; one great-grandchild; several nieces and nephews.

Deceased is a brother, Richard White.

Friends will be received from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, in the JOHN B. GREENLEE FUNERAL HOME, LTD., 2830 Main Street, Beallsville, where Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, December 31, 2021, with Rev. Fr. Timothy J. Kruthaupt officiating. Interment will follow in Westland Cemetery.

Online guest book and personal condolences may be accessed at www.GreenleeFuneralHome.com.