William 'Bill' White, 88
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 9 months, 1 week AGO
William "Bill" White, 88, passed away peacefully May 30, 2025, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.
In his final days, he was surrounded by love and support from multiple generations of his family. He leaves behind his wife of 62 years, Barbara, children Dan (Dianna) White, Bonnie White, Lynn (Dave) Locken, grandchildren Michelle White, Cheryl (Ryan) VanZandt, Christopher Yee, Steven Locken, Rachel Murphy, seven great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild on the way.
He is preceded in death by his father, Otto; stepmother Ruby; mother Lena; and sisters Virginia, Shirley and Ruth.
Bill was born at home in upstate New York but spent much of his youth in both the Finger Lakes region of his home state and areas of Florida. Upon completing school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he was honorably discharged after serving two years. His need for adventure brought him west and through an unfortunate (fortunate for us) car accident in Coeur d'Alene that winter, he was forced to end his westward journey. Bill's first job in the area was with the Potlatch (Rutledge) Mill at the end of Sherman, where he primarily worked the log pond. It was during this time that he met his future wife, Barbara, who worked nearby at the Boat Drive Inn. Bill married Barbara Kerschner in December of 1962. In 1966, the couple built their first house in Hayden, where they raised their three children.
Bill attended the Spokane Police Academy and became a Kootenai County Sheriff's officer in the late '60s. After roughly 10 years, he decided to try a new career path, which ended up being the Laborers' Union. He took a lot of pride in projects he was part of and would always point them out and give us a little backstory about his time there.
The many years of construction eventually took a toll, so he wisely changed direction and joined the Teamsters Union, working for Central Premix until his retirement in the late '90s.
Bill loved snowmobiling, ATV riding (was a founding member of Back Country ATV), working in his shop building and fixing things, but his true outdoor passion was hunting deer and elk with his son and friends, carrying his bow or trusty 308.
He leaves behind his wife of 62 years, Barbara, children Dan (Dianna) White, Bonnie White, Lynn (Dave) Locken, grandchildren Michelle White, Cheryl (Ryan) VanZandt, Christopher Yee, Steven Locken, Rachel Murphy, seven great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild on the way. He is preceded in death by his father, Otto; stepmother Ruby; mother Lena; and sisters Virginia, Shirley and Ruth.
Per his request, no services will be held. Memorials in his name can be made to the Hospice of North Idaho, 2290 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815.
Arrangements by English Funeral Chapel, Post Falls. www.englishfuneralchapel.com.