by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
WHITEWATER REGION (Cobden) — A farmer, husband, father, politician, bus driver, boss…and one of the kindest people you will know.
These words all describe Gordon White, who died on Monday, June 19 at Caressant Care Nursing Home in Cobden.
For close to 40 years, he was a politician, first in Westmeath Township and then the first Reeve of Whitewater Region following amalgamation in 2001.
Mr. White entered politics when he was 24 years old, elected to a councillor’s position in Westmeath Township. Nine years after entering politics, he became deputy-reeve, 1972, and five years later he became reeve. In 1984 he was the Warden of Renfrew County.
At the start of last night’s Whitewater Region council meeting, Mayor Hal Johnson held a minute of silence to remember the first Reeve of Whitewater Region and the former Reeve of Westmeath Township.
“He has done a lot for both and I would like to have a moment of silence,” he said.
He extended sympathies to the White family.
The flags at the municipal park, all municipal buildings, including fire halls, are also lowered to half-mast in his memory, Mayor Johnson said.
Randi Keith, a Cobden resident and former clerk of Westmeath Township said, “I worked with him for 23 years. He was the best boss I ever had. I cannot say enough good things about him.”
Mr. White had a memory for everything, she said. However, in the past few years, she had heard it was failing. When she recently contacted him for some information about streets in Westmeath, “He didn’t know who I was or what I was talking about.
“It was heart-breaking,” Ms. Keith said. “Gordon knew everyone. He had a memory the likes I have never seen.”
When Mr. White would run for re-election, he “never promised anyone anything. He always said he would do what’s best for the community,” she said. “He knew he could not make a decision on his own, because it was council who made decisions.”
Mr. White never interfered with the day-to-day operations at the township office, Ms. Keith said. He knew if we needed him, we would know where to find him.
Don Rathwell met Mr. White when Westmeath Township was amalgamating with Ross Township, Beachburg and Cobden to form Whitewater Region.
“He was the first reeve of the newly amalgamated Whitewater,” Mr. Rathwell said. “He was just a great man. He was so knowledgeable. He was in municipal politics a long time. He was an easy guy to work with.”
When Mr. White became Mayor and Mr. Rathwell was reeve, it was Mr. White who took him to county council and introduced him around.
Mr. White could also see the bright side in everything, Mr. Rathwell recalled. If something negative came up, “Gordon always tried to find the bright side. “Gordon was a real gentleman, just an exceptional gentleman,” Mr. Rathwell said.
Joey Trimm, a former road superintendent for Westmeath Township and former councillor for Whitewater Region, knew Mr. White from two different working experiences.
Mr. White was the reeve of Westmeath Township when Mr. Trimm was the road super and the reeve of Whitewater Region when Mr. Trimm became a councillor.
“Gordon was the most honourable man you could ever know,” Mr. Trimm said. “He was dedicated to Westmeath Township and then the municipality as a whole.”
Mr. White was “honourable, tolerant, patient – those are words to describe Gordon.”
There aren’t many politicians in this area who can say they served their municipality for close to 40 years, Mr. Trimm said.
“He was unique,” he said, adding, “There won’t be another Gordon White.”
Mr. White leaves behind his wife Ethel, four children, Sue (Ian), Julie (Mitch), Tracy (Derrick) and Trevor (Melissa).
There will be a graveside service in St. Augustine’s Anglican Cemetery in Beachburg on Saturday, June 24 at 10 a.m.
Please see Mr. White’s obituary for more information.
