Robert Williamson White passed away peacefully on April 5, 2023, in Royal Inland Hospital with his family by his side.
Robert was born September 16, 1932, to Rhoda Margaret Shaw and Frank Borland White in Richmond, BC. Rob went to school at Bridgeport Elementary from grades 1 to 6. The family came to the Heffley- Louis Creek valley in April of 1943 when Rob was a young boy of 10 years old. Their home was the Shaw Ranch at that time (settled by his grandfather), and it became well known as Whitecroft Ranch.
Rob attended McGillivray school, taught by his mother. In the fall of 1949, he went to Kamloops to complete his senior year. In May of 1950, he lost his own father to a horse accident and returned home to work on the ranch with his mother and brother-in-law, Jack Brady.
Rob started full-time ranching at 17 years old, milking cows and buying and selling cattle until retirement. In June 1956, at the age of 24, Rob met the love of his life, Rose Kingston, at a Heffley Creek dance. They married on November 10, 1956.
Rob had a lot to do with the development of Tod Mountain in the early years, including taking the early developers up on horseback. From 1968-1970 Rob ran the small T-bar at Tod Mtn. Rob taught skiing for 5 years at Tod Mountain ski resort alongside Jim McConkey, eventually joining his adult children on ski patrol.
Rob was very active in the cattle ranching community in the Kamloops area and a long-time member of the B.C. Cattlemen's Association, as well as being very active in the North Thompson Fall Fair for 4 H members. Rob was an excellent horseman, poet and storyteller.
By 1969, Rob took on school bus driving to get his own children to public school and drove for 20 years until retiring.
Rob also worked at Burfield's ski shop in Kamloops between morning and afternoon bus trips, as well as Jardine's sports shop. He was well respected by the local families and children whose lives he touched.
Rob loved to travel with Rose, they visited Hawaii, Tahiti, Mexico, Columbia, Palm Springs, Jamaica and lots of local lakes camping and water-skiing.
By 1976, Rob and Rose built a home on one of their satellite properties before retiring to Rayleigh and eventually Kamloops.
Rob was a bit of a jokester, teasing people to make them smile even later in the senior's home, pretending to run over the residents' toes with his walker just to get a giggle. His grandchildren have fond memories of Halloween pranks at Poppa's place. He loved people and could talk to anyone!
Rob leaves behind to cherish his life: Frank White (Candise), Rosemary Kanigan (Don), and Shannon McIlquham (Brian). Poppa to his grandchildren David White (Beckay Dusenbury), Derek White, Sarah White (Jimmy Broomfield), Jacey Stanley (Pete Ludwick), Darcy (Tyler) Wilk, Erin (Matt) Brady, Brianna McIlquham (Devon Jones). He is also fondly remembered by his sister-in-law Louise Oakes and 10 great-grandchildren, as well as nephew Barry Brady (Maureen), niece Brenda Steiner (Ueli), nieces Diana Wren (Bob), Christina Oakes (Morgan) and families. Many other extended members of the family, cousins, nieces and nephews, are left to remember Rob with love, as are many friends.
He was predeceased by his parents, Frank and Rhoda White; his loving wife, Rose White of 66 years; his sister and brother-in-law, Velma (Jack) Brady; his brother-in-law Stan Oakes; niece Sandy Oakes, and great nephew Darin Brady.
