Dennis White

Dennis W. White, Ph.D., Lt. Colonel U.S. Army Retired, of Jonesboro died April 22, 2017 at the Arkansas Heart Hospital in Little Rock. He was 70 years old.

He was born August 24, 1946 in Prescott, Arkansas to Tom and Maudena White. He was a graduate of Prescott High School. He attended Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia before transferring to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville where he graduated with a degree in Speech Communication in 1969. He accepted a ROTC Commission as a 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Army Armor Branch. He was assigned on active duty to Ft. Campbell, KY; Ft. Gordon, GA; Ft. Bragg, N.C. and Vilseck, Germany. He served a combat tour in Vietnam in 1972 with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and 3rd Ordnance Battalion, where he earned the Combat Infantryman Badge. Following active duty he remained in the Army Reserve until his retirement as a Lt. Colonel in 1997 having earned the Meritorious Service Medal, five Army Commendation Medals and two awards of the Army Achievement Medal.

He married Vicki Lynn Russell in Fayetteville, Arkansas and earned his Masters Degree in Communications from U of A. He accepted a position at Arkansas State as instructor/Debate Coach with the Department of Speech Communication. After earning his Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, he attained the tenured position of Associate Professor at A-State and was soon promoted to Chairman of the Department of Speech Communication where he served until his retirement in 2007. He was a proud member on various committees including President of the Faculty Senate.

He was a founding Board Member and Deputy Director of the Arkansas Military Veterans Hall of Fame. Additionally, he was active in Chapter 26 Jonesboro Disabled American Veterans group. He was also involved as an External Liaison Officer with the A-State Beck Pride Center.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Billy Tom White, his father and mother, Tom and Maudena White of Prescott, AR and grandparents Clarence and Doshie Bolls of Prescott, AR and Neal and Ida White of Prescott, AR.

He is survived by his wife, Vicki Russell White and daughter Diana White Corder and son-in-law Dallas Corder all of Jonesboro. Along with a wide variety of other loving family and friends.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, April 27th at Cornerstone United Methodist Church at 2:00 pm, with Rev. Chris Hemund officiating. Visitation will immediately follow the service. Honorary pallbearers will be the Pathfinders Sunday School Class and the Chapter 26 Disabled American Veterans.

A private military burial will be conducted at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in Birdeye at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cornerstone UMC, Chapter 26 DAV or NEA Humane Society.
For online registry go to www.emersonfuneralhome.com