Roger White

Roger H. White, age 78, of Waverly, (formerly Plainfield) died of congestive heart failure on Tuesday March 19, 2013 at Allen Memorial Hospital, Waterloo, with his loving family by his side. A memorial service will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday March 23, 2013, at the United Methodist Church, Nashua with Rev. Okitakoyi Lundula presiding. Friends may greet the family 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. Saturday March 23, 2013, prior to the service at the church. Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home of Nashua is entrusted with arrangements. Roger Howard White was born on July 24, 1934, on an acreage northeast of Plainfield, son of Glen and Mildred Zwanziger White. He attended country school and graduated from Nashua High School in 1953. He was united in marriage to his high school sweetheart, Jeannette Graeser, on June 6, 1954, at United Methodist Church in Nashua. Roger and Jeannette farmed in Bremer County until he was drafted into the Army, serving 14 months in Germany as a mechanic in the 373rd Armed Infantry Battalion. Following his discharge in 1956, he and Jeannette returned to the farm where they lived for 40 years and raised their two children, Larry and Lori. In addition to farming and raising registered Angus cattle, Roger drove school bus for Plainfield Community School for 25 years and owned his own carpentry business. In 1994, due to health problems, Roger and his wife sold the farm and moved to Plainfield, and later retired in Waverly. Roger was a member of the Nashua United Methodist Church and served on many committees. For more than 30 years he had many roles at the Bremer County Fair, including 25 year 4-H leader, assistant beef superintendent, Bremer County Fair Board member and Extension 4-H and Youth Committee member. He served on the Northeast Iowa Angus Association Board of Directors and was the Advisor to the Junior Association. Roger was a charter member of the Iowa Cattleman’s Association and served many years on Bremer County Extension Council. He received the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame Award from Governor Terry Branstad, was inducted into the Iowa 4H Hall of Fame, and was selected as an Iowan of the Day at the Iowa State Fair. Roger is survived by his wife of 58 years, Jeannette; one son, Larry (Michelle) of Clarksville, IA; one daughter, Lori (Eric) Chappell of Pleasant Hill, IA; five granddaughters, Brooke White of Greene, IA, Brittany White of Clarksville, IA, Breanna White of Morton, IL, Lindsay Chappell and Hayley Chappell of Pleasant Hill, IA; one great granddaughter, Eliska White; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Leonard White, infant sister Donna, sister and brother-in-law Amy Lou and Delbert Lantz, and nephew Steven Lantz. At Roger’s request, his body has been donated to the University of Iowa for medical research. The family wishes to thank the many nurses and doctors who have cared for Roger during the past 29 years.