Obituaries

Robert E. White Jr.

Robert E. “Bob” White Jr. died at his home Dec. 14.He was born in Greenport, Long Island, N.Y., to Robert E. and Lillian (Santacroce) White in 1949.

Bob married Kristin Kovaleski in 1978 and recently celebrated his 40th wedding anniversary. In 1990 he and his family moved to Fancy Gap, Va., where they owned Fox Trail Family Campground, an RV park that was highly rated in the state, located at the entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway. In 2005 he and his family moved to Hayes, Va., to retire, where he resided until his death.

Even though he had moved to Virginia, Bob kept in touch with many of his friends and fellow veterans via Facebook. Bob was a veteran who served in Vietnam as a sergeant in the Army’s military police. He served in that theater during the war and was also deployed to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. He remained a member of Burton Potter American Legion Post No. 185 in Greenport for over 34 years. He was also a lifetime member of both the VFW for Korat Thailand Post No. 10217 and General Anthony Wayne Post No. 58. Prior to moving to Virginia, Bob was a police officer with the Shelter Island Police Department and also worked at his father’s family-owned hardware store in Greenport, White’s Hardware.

Bob’s sons followed in his exemplary footsteps of public service. Robert E. White III was a paramedic and later a well-respected nurse in the medical community at Riverside Regional in Newport News and Riverside Walter Reed in Gloucester, Va. Bob was preceded in death by Robert III in 2016. Gregory is a sergeant with the James City County (Va.) Police Department.

In addition to his son Gregory, Bob is survived by his wife, Kristin, and brother, David, who resides in Florida. He leaves behind many good friends, such as his next-door neighbors Bennie and Sherry Williams, who have become family.

A service of Christian Liturgy officiated by the Rev. James Cowles will take place Saturday, Dec. 29, at noon at Hogg Funeral Home in Gloucester Point, Va. Bob’s ashes, along with those of his son Robert III, will be scattered at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family desires that memorial contributions be given to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1893, Memphis, TN 38101, or online at [email protected], or to Officer Down Memorial Page, P.O. Box 1047, Fairfax, VA 22038.

Come to Me
God saw you getting tired, and a cure was not to be, so he put his arms around you, and whispered “come to me.” With tearful eyes we watched you, and saw you pass away. Although we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.

This is a paid notice.