Robert “Bob” Ferol White, 97, of Saint Joseph, passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at Hanson Hospice in Stevensville.
Bob was born on December 31, 1927, in Milwaukee, WI to Charles and Nellie (Ritchie) White. Bob attended and graduated from Elston High School in Michigan City, IN and extended his education at Purdue Technical Institute in Hammond, IN.
Robert met and married Louise Lubinieski on August 11, 1948, and enjoyed 58 years of marriage until her passing in 2007. At age 80, Bob married Pauline (Polly) Mohacsek and they enjoyed 12 years of companionship until her passing in 2021.
Bob had an extensive military career, serving for over 35 years in the United States Army (two years active duty) and Army Reserve, obtaining the rank of E9 – Command Seargent Major. He worked in manufacturing, beginning in the late 1950s with Curtiss-Wright Corporation in South Bend. He then moved to Joy Manufacturing in Michigan City before transferring to Bendix (Bosch) Corporation in Saint Joseph, Benton Harbor Engineering, and then Shepherd Products. In his retirement job, Bob migrated to Turtle Mountain Manufacturing in North Dakota assisting the Chippewa Indians to reopen a shuttered utility trailer manufacturing plant.
In his younger years, Bob enjoyed hunting rabbits and deer, raising beagle hunting dogs, and fishing. He enjoyed fishing out on the Saint Joseph River, and small inland lakes before taking to “dragging a line” through Lake Michigan on Bob’s Toy, his 21-foot fishing boat. He enjoyed gardening all varieties of vegetables but was known for his affinity for growing dahlias. Although he had many passions in life, his true joy was found in spending time with family.
Bob will be missed by his children, David (Cindy) White, Katherine Lynch, and Charles “Chuck” White; his grandchildren, Sarah Johnson, Carrie White (Andrew Mayer), Laura White (Dustin Teter), and Eryn Tyler; and his great grandchildren, Molly-Kate Johnson, and Riley Smith.
He was preceded in death by his wife Louise, his parents, and sister, Florence White-Anderson.
After cremation, an internment, with military honors, will be held in the spring, at Fort Custer National Cemetery, Augusta, MI. Memorial contributions may be given to the Alzheimer’s Association, www.alz.org.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Starks & Menchinger Chapel, St. Joseph.
Posted On: Wednesday, December 3, 2025 2:11 PM
