Jerry Lee White's Obituary
Jerry Lee White, 87 years old, of Westerville, Ohio, passed away peacefully Thursday March 6th 2025, in Worthington, Ohio. He is preceded in death by his mother Jessica, father George, sister Barbara, and his loving wife Joan. He is survived by his four children Jeri (Michael), Jodi (Pierre), Pam (Bill), and Todd (Hyo-Yang Ahn), and his stepchildren Sarah (Sean), Betsy (Shane), Jenny, and Jon (Sarah), along with many grandchildren.
Jerry was born in Clendenin, West Virginia, eventually moving to Barlow, Ohio, where he starred as a Varsity high school basketball player, and additionally earned the prestigious honor of Eagle Scout from Boy Scouts of America. After graduating from high school, Jerry hitch-hiked his way to Ohio State University, where he studied biology, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree. Never one to settle, Jerry continued with his studies, further earning his Master of Education degree from Xavier University.
Jerry worked as an advanced Math teacher for Westerville City Schools, which served as the perfect career for him, as he gained significant joy from teaching and educating those around him. His students adored him, and he was well known for his ‘distinctive’ style of teaching, a deliberate balance of both tutelage and rigor.
Jerry and his wife Joan, also a retired Teacher, spent their free Summers at their beloved Lake Home, in Vermilion, Ohio where he earned the famed nickname of “Captain Fish Sticks”.
A man of many talents, Jerry was a wordsmith, pun-master aficionado, and skillful orator all at once, with a quick-witted tongue rarely matched by others. Never one to meet a stranger, he amassed a wide circle of friends, both near and far, surely a result of his charismatic nature.
Jerry was an avid musician and had a deep appreciation for all genres of music. He was gifted with a natural born ability to learn and play multiple instruments, most notably as a master guitar player, and taught in his spare time at Tony’s Music in Westerville. Upon retiring from his teaching career, Jerry purchased a MAC computer, and began designing digital artwork, further expanding upon his artistic creativity.
Eventually battling Alzheimer’s disease in the final years of his life, Jerry was entrusted to the care of Cotter House of Worthington. Our family would like to offer special thanks to everyone at Cotter and NCR Hospice, for their wonderful care during his illness. It will never be forgotten.
We will miss you Captain, and know you are sailing new seas…
A private celebration of life will be held. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer’s Association®.
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