Obituary of Robert White
Robert Joseph White (Bobby Joe), 92, passed away peacefully on May 9, 2024, at his home in Superior, Iowa, where he had lived a long and independent life.
Born on March 2, 1932, in Opheim, Montana, Bobby Joe's early years were marked by loss. His mother, Lola Stevens White, passed away shortly after his birth. His father, William White, worked as a track inspector for the Great Northern Railroad. Consequently, Bobby Joe was adopted and raised by his grandparents, Alphonse and Rose White (originally LeBlanc), on their farm, first in Inverness and later in Joplin, Montana; Bobby Joe found a loving home in the heart of Big Sky Country. Inverness, located on US Route 2 near the Hi-Line rail line, offered stunning high plains scenery and a life close to nature. Following his grandmother's passing in 1947, fifteen-year-old Bobby Joe and his grandfather moved to Superior, Iowa, to live with his aunt Vi, a schoolteacher, and her husband, George Smith, a farmer. Bobby Joe graduated from Superior High School and later attended Dramatic School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Before joining the Air Force, he honed his artistic talents by becoming an instructor at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Minneapolis. As an airman, his technical skills were utilized for radar installations.
While working at Patrick Air Force Base (now Patrick Space Force Base) in Florida, Bobby Joe met his wife, Rosemary Kipp, and they were married in May 1953. Their son Stephen Frederick White was born in the base hospital one year later. After leaving the Air Force, he transitioned to civilian life, applying his skills as an Electronic Engineer for some of the nation's leading organizations. He worked on various airport radar installation projects with Raytheon, a company he remained proud to have been a part of, especially considering his involvement in projects related to the NASA Apollo space program and the FAA Centers (Federal Aviation Administration) throughout his distinguished career.
Bobby Joe eventually returned to Superior, Iowa, in 1993 to care for his beloved Aunt Vi during her illness and passing in 1996. He lived in the same house in Superior for the past three decades, a testament to his love for the town.
Those who knew Bobby Joe will remember his quiet strength, independence, and generosity. Even in his later years, he maintained a positive outlook, always saying, "He was doing fine." A thoughtful and caring soul, Bobby Joe loved to raise roses and gift them to friends, a heartwarming gesture that brought joy to many. He devoted many hours to gathering and compiling the history and extended genealogy of the Leblanc family descendants.
He is survived by his son, Stephen White (wife Lisa) of Doylestown, Pennsylvania; grandson, Adam White of Moab, Utah; granddaughter, Rebecca White (husband Peter Granitz); and great-grandchildren, Liesel and Luke Granitz, of Amman, Jordan.
Bobby Joe will be buried next to his mother, Lola, in the Inverness, Montana family cemetery, which was created on the wheat farming homestead of his grandfather, Alphonse (LeBlanc) White.