Dr. Larry Dale White

Dr. Larry Dale White was born to Jesse Lee and Ila Mae Luttrell White on November 24, 1940 in Sayre, Oklahoma. He grew up mainly in Glendale, Arizona, where his father worked on area farms. While pursuing a degree at Arizona State College, he married Carolyn Jean Downum on June 6, 1964 in the Federated Community Church of Flagstaff. He was influenced by Baptist Student Union ministries while in college. Larry worked summers fighting fires for the US Forest Service and pursued graduate studies at the University of Arizona. His Ph.D. dissertation topic on the role of fire in rangeland ecology developed a focus on application of prescribed burning for the rest of his career. In 1967, they embarked on an agricultural development contract with USAID in Embu, Kenya. This time was busy with the birth of their first son Loren, safari trips through the wildlife of Africa, and exposure to different cultures. In 1970 they resettled in Gainesville, Florida, where their second son Jay was born. While in Florida, Larry taught in the Forestry department of the University of Florida. For a few years he partnered with a former graduate student to develop a small ranch operation with over a 100 head of beef cattle.

In 1978 the family moved to Uvalde, Texas with all their belongings packed in a custom cattle trailer. Larry served as a range management extension specialist under Texas A&M University over an area of 19 counties. During this time, he developed his artistic talents, became an enthusiast of bow hunting, and spearheaded workshops for ranchers. He crafted and sold hunting bows under the brand White Lightnin’, and began going to Colorado to hunt elk with bow and arrow. The Total Ranch Management initiative and International Ranchers Roundup conferences continued for several years. Later, Larry moved to College Station to return to a professor role at Texas A&M. Interspersed with his regular professional duties, he periodically did consulting work in Mexico, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Australia. After retirement in 2004, he continued with consulting on forensic cases across Texas related to range fires and assisted with Jay’s pest control business. Larry passed into eternity with his Jesus on May 7, 2026.

Larry is survived by his sons Loren (Nancy) White of Jackson, MS and Jay White of College Station, TX; grandsons Jesse (Kaylee) White of Ridgeland, MS and John (Emma) White of Pearl, MS; granddaughters Rebecca and Sarah White of Jackson, MS; as well as nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his wife Carolyn, brother J.L. White, sisters Ruemella Pettigrew and Dortha Nell Harris, granddaughter Cynthia White, and grandson Jadon White.

Visitation will be at Eickenhorst Funeral Home in Conroe at 10:00 on May 16, with burial to follow at Wellborn Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at a later date at Hope Bible Church, College Station.