Obituary of Jack Samuel White

 June 4, 1923 - June 25, 2019      

Sadly we announce the passing of Jack White at the age of 96, at the Prairie Lake Hospice in Grande Prairie on June 25, 2019 when he went to join his wife, Jean, in Heaven.

Jack lived the first 36 years of his life in Australia, being born in Birchip, Victoria and then later moving to Melbourne, Victoria.  He began his working life early, leaving school at age 14 starting at the Australian Post Office working with Morse code, Teletype and Telegraph among other things.  He also had military service with the Australian Army Transport from 1945 to 1947 just missing World War 2.  Jack also lived and worked in Perth, Mt. Isa, Townsville and Brisbane in Australia with the Telegraph branch.

Jack had a fateful bus tour of New Zealand in 1957 where he met Jean and they fell in love.  They were married October 10, 1959 in Weldon, Saskatchewan and so Jack moved to Canada.  They began their married life together in North Battleford where Jack worked with the Canadian National Railway on the Telegraph and eventually trained to be a Microwave Technician where he maintained and repaired the microwave sites vital to cross-country telecommunications.

Jack and Jean moved to Wetaskiwin in 1966.  They did much traveling together and some with their son, Bruce, including 17 trips back to Australia to visit Jack’s family and an additional 3 trips back by Jack on his own.  For the last 5 years Jack and Jean had been living in Grande Prairie, Alberta.  Jack had many interests in his life including much travel, playing tennis, swimming, bowling, cross-country skiing, golfing and doing crossword puzzles.  He motorcycled in his twenties and then enjoyed driving his many, many cars over the years.  Also, he was always an avid reader.

Family was always very important and loved by Jack. He is survived by his son Bruce (Alison) White; grandchildren Mason, Madison and Marlee White.  He was predeceased by his parents Ernie and Julia White of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; and sisters Zena West (Keith), Jean DeLooze (Joe) and Marg Young (Bill) all of Victoria, Australia. 

A Memorial Service for Jack will be held on Tuesday, July 9th, 2019 at 2PM at St. Paul's United Church at 10206 100 Avenue in Grande Prairie. AB. 

Donations in memory of Jack may be made to the Grande Prairie Palliative Care Society, #204 10134 97 Avenue, Grande Prairie, T8v 7X6 or St. Paul’s United Church 10206 100 Avenue, Grande Prairie, AB T8V 0V6.

Care entrusted to Bear Creek Funeral Home 780 830 7742 www.bearcreekfuneral.com