H. White Obituary (1937 – 2021)

H. David White was born in Zanesville, OH on February 1, 1937 to James F. White and Nelda (Carey) White, and died of cancer in his Toledo, OH home on January 4, 2021. During his life, he made clear that his obituary should contain only these statistics, nothing more. But data points alone could not possibly sum up the multitudes that his life contained, and the lasting influence of his legacy.

Dave moved to Toledo, OH at age three when his father opened a Chevrolet dealership on the corner of Adams and 12th. Brother Jim, Jr. was newly born when they moved and brother Tim was born later. The three brothers remained best friends and entrepreneurial business partners throughout Dave’s life. A day has rarely passed without frequent correspondence among the brothers; goal oriented, sometimes confrontational, but always-united in purpose. The White family thrived from the Toledo community’s embrace of their dedication to equality, education and hard work. Those qualities, along with the enthusiasm and loyalty of many, many employees allowed the family business to expand to its current status, which today includes businesses throughout the city, state and country. Dave was quietly and unassumedly proud of all that was accomplished, but never complacent or accepting of less than continuous improvement, an attitude that has tremendously benefitted his family and the dealerships’ employees.

Dave, or the “Chief”, as he was known by his closest family members, led by example. He was educated at Maumee Valley Country Day School and Culver Military Academy, graduating in 1955 from Ottawa Hills High School and in 1959 from Denison University in Granville, OH, later attending law school at Ohio Northern University in Ada, OH. It was in high school that he met his wife of 47 years, Dana Diemer White, who died of cancer in 2008. Theirs was a passionate relationship, filled with some hardship but mostly blessed with good fortune and adventure. They worked and loved and travelled the world together, never tiring of exposure to new people, their customs and pastimes. In honor of her memory, Dave donated a large piece of property, on the corner of Dorr and Richards, which is being developed into soccer and lacrosse playing fields for the benefit of Ottawa Hills student players and their families.

Upon graduation from Denison, Dave joined the Air Force and he and Dana joyfully welcomed their first child, Stephanie. Stephanie has adopted her father’s thirst for adventure in sailing, fly-fishing, and travel and was blessed to share multiple exciting experiences along side him in many far-flung locales. She credits him with the motivation to confront challenges, educational, personal and professional, and to wring the most out of life’s opportunities. Stephanie was his primary medical advocate, moving mountains to assure that he received the most appropriate care, and directing the rest of the family through the process of supporting him through his illness. We can’t properly express the depth of our gratitude for her leadership.

Son H. David, Jr. was born just one year after Stephanie. He challenged his father from his first days with colicky, sleepless nights. Jr.’s childhood and adolescence continued to test Sr.’s resolve, but never his love. Their relationship developed into

a rock-solid friendship and business partnership of over 30 years. Together they faced many professional obstacles and opportunities with a shared drive to succeed and then, do better. They further shared a passion for general aviation, having flown separately and collectively for over 7,000 hours in both single and twin-engine planes across the US, the Caribbean and Central America. Together they experienced all the excitement and joy flight bestows.

Dave was also, and perhaps most important to his legacy, blessed with two beautiful granddaughters, Audrey and Cecily. They enjoyed the great fortune of belonging to a grandpa who was keenly invested in their success and pushed them to work hard, do good and be good; yet he was extremely tolerant of their flights of fancy and especially their need for lots and lots of ice cream.

Beyond his prowess as a pilot, sailor and fly-fisher, Dave was an enthusiastic and skilled duck hunter. As a long time member of Erie Duck Club in Erie, MI, he could be found, frequently before sunrise, on opening and successive days of the hunting season in contest with the weather and the fowl. He relished it, and in fact, this past 2020 season, despite his cancer status, he filled our freezers with unlucky ducks for consumption. At the same time, he had an acute understanding of the role of conservation in maintaining the natural world that provided him with such pleasurable diversion and was a committed supporter of Ducks Unlimited and the Nature Conservancy.

To his family, friends, and employees he was universally acknowledged as a dependable, trustworthy and extremely loyal individual. He kept his word and always followed through on his promises, at times to his own personal distress. No one who knew him doubted he could be counted on to show up (usually early) and offer his best.

Dave enjoyed participation in the dining and sporting opportunities of several other clubs including The Inverness Club, the Ottawa Skeet Club, and the Toledo Club, all in Toledo, OH, as well as the Jupiter Hills Golf Club in Tequesta, FL and the Old Baldy Club in Saratoga, WY. He was also a longtime member of the Maumee Valley chapter of the Young Presidents Organization. He maintained solid friendships in all these venues. Throughout his life people were drawn to his intelligence, curiosity, gentility, and red-blooded engagement in what life had to offer.

Dave’s parents, an infant brother, Stephen, sister-in law, Sue White and his wife, Dana, preceded him in death. Left behind are his two brothers, James F. White, Jr. of Toledo, OH and Timothy L. White of Dayton, OH; former sister-in-law, Nancy White of Phoenix, AZ; daughter, Stephanie White of Dundee, MI; son, H. David (Hilary) White, Jr. of Holland, OH; and granddaughters, Audrey White of Salt Lake City, UT and Cecily White of Chicago, IL. His trusted companion and partner in crime of the last ten years, Judy DeVilbiss, of Honolulu, HI is part of our family forever. He will also be fondly remembered by devoted nephews, James F. (Kerri) White, III of Columbus, OH and Timothy L. White, Jr. of Dayton, OH; adoring nieces, KC (Dan) Stack of Dayton, OH and Carey (Colby) Gifford of Northfield, IL; as well as a slew of great nieces and great nephews. His best friend of seventy five years, Henson Jones of Berkley, CA is also left mourn his loss. To all of us, he will always be the one and only “Chief”.

Throughout his life and the process of his death, Dave was unconditionally supported by two of his favorite people; Francis Vallejo and Ossa Oshodin, who cannot be thanked enough for their efforts to make him feel comfortable, cared for and respected. The family would also like to acknowledge the kind Alison Roller, RN for her uncanny ability to give us exactly the kind of help we needed, at the precise time we needed it. Finally, and wholeheartedly, Dave would want his hard working, dedicated and loyal employees to know how eternally grateful he was for their contributions to the success of the White Family Dealerships.

The family will observe a private ceremony in Dave’s memory. A larger celebration in Toledo of his life and accomplishments will take place in the future. Those wishing to make a donation in his honor should consider the H. David and Dana D. White Charitable Foundation, administered through the Toledo Community Foundation, or a charity of the donor’s choice.