Hipsters

Dad, me and Uncle Joe, back in the day. 

God Only Knows

My Dad was a superfan of The Beach Boys. He saw them live countless times including on their recent Fiftieth Anniversary Tour. On our living room bookshelf he had a piece of a tambourine that had shattered as Mike Love played it during a concert forty years ago. The tambourine broke in three pieces and flew out into the audience. My Dad grabbed the biggest piece as it flew his way. He had an autographed album cover by Brian Wilson hanging on the wall. He had several biographies on the group on the bookshelf. And he had every LP and then CD they ever produced...including rarities and international exports.

So I knew we had to play a Beach Boys song at his funeral service. I settled on God Only Knows, one of the most beautiful of Beach Boy songs, to play at the opening of the service. It was poignant and perfect. I'm sure that from here on out, every time I hear a Beach Boys song I'll think of him...and that's okay with me.

Here's God Only Knows, from the majestic Pet Sounds album...

Dad's Eulogy

This is the eulogy I wrote for my Dad and read at his Funeral...words do not do him justice.

Dr. John Timothy White was born January 6, 1951 in Gary, Indiana to Lester and Betty White. He passed away on September 3rd, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. He spent most of his growing up years in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he graduated from Will Rogers High School in 1969. It was at Will Rogers where he met the love of his life and wife of 43 years, Kathryn Diane Reinking. He attended college at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma earning a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and a Masters of Arts in Theology. He then earned a Masters of Christian Education from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri and a PhD in Educational Administration from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. 

He served as a Pastor for the Church of the Nazarene for over thirty years. He served as Senior Pastor in Vinita, Oklahoma; Severy, Kansas; McPherson, Kansas; Pryor, Oklahoma and finally at Dallas Central Church of the Nazarene in Dallas, Texas for the final twelve years of his life. He had a great love for the Church of the Nazarene and its essential doctrine that anyone can be saved, and made holy by the supernatural grace of Jesus Christ. He gave his life to preaching that good news. St. Francis Assisi once said, “Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary use words.” Tim White’s best sermon was his life. His compassion was endless and his love for others without boundaries. 

He was notorious for bringing his own bottle of BBQ sauce to barbecue restaurants. He was one of America’s foremost experts on Nazarene General Superintendent Hiram F. Reynolds on whom he wrote his Doctoral Dissertation. He was informally one of America’s greatest experts on The Beach Boys. He loved baseball and nothing would give him greater pleasure than if the Kansas City Royals would win the World Series this year. He loved Kansas Jayhawk basketball and wore their bright blue and red colors everywhere he went. He loved collecting toy cars and electric trains. He also loved the study of theology and collected an enormous collection of volumes of the works of John Wesley, Arminius and C.S. Lewis among others. He was a published author of numerous articles and a book on the life of the Apostle Paul. 

He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He took great pleasure in teaching his grandson the finer points of baseball and giving him a toy car every Sunday. He loved history, especially Civil War History. He and his wife would visit Civil War Battlefields and participate in re-enactments. He once won an award for his Union Army Chaplain uniform. He was proud of his various collections including Roy Rogers toys, flashlights, and baseball cards to name just a few. 

He is survived by his wife Kathy and his two children, David White of Forney, Texas and Elizabeth Thompson of Garland, Texas; his Daughter-in-law Kimberly White and grandson Jackson White; His Brothers Joey White of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Philip White of Bethany, Oklahoma and their wives Susan and Marilyn White; His Father-in-law and Mother-in-law Bob and Joyce Reinking of Tulsa, Oklahoma and his Brother-in-law Richard Reinking and wife Karen Reinking of Tulsa, Oklahoma and his Sister-in-law Linda Reinking of Owasso, Oklahoma. He was also very proud of his all his nephews and nieces; Greg, Jeff (and his wife Allison and their children Ethan, Brooklyn and Hannah), Emily, Allison (and her husband Steven), Courtney, Casey, Angela (and her Husband Corey and two daughters Lauren and Isabel), Amy (and her Husband Wayne), Rachael (and her husband Shawn), and Daniel.

His was a life well lived, a life lived for others. His was a life lived for Jesus Christ

Dad

Been a rough couple of weeks. A week ago today my Dad passed away. Although he had been seriously ill the last several months, his passing was unexpected. It was quite a shock. 

My Dad was one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. Nice to a fault. Forgave everyone without hesitation. I was blessed to have him as a father. 

Still hurts but I know he's not suffering and he's in a much better place. Enjoy your loved ones while you can. You never know how much time you have to spend with them. Cherish every moment.