WEBSTER– John F. White, 75, died Saturday, February 1, 2025, in UMASS/Memorial University Campus, Worcester with his family by his side following an illness.
He leaves his wife of 14 years, Susanne (Vallee) Fitzgibbons-White; 3 daughters, Melissa A. Latour and her husband Paul of Newport, RI, Shannon M. Spitz and her husband George of Webster, and Jennifer L. McKay and her husband Douglas of Cape Neddick, ME. Additionally, he leaves Susanne’s son and daughter, Keith Fitzgibbons and Lori Gardiner; 12 grandchildren, Sydney, Sage, Ryan, Victoria, Thomas, Cecilia, Julianna, Olivia, Cole, Derek, Alexis, Katelynn; 4 great-grandchildren, Clark, Violet, RJ, and Harper. He was preceded in death by his wife of 28 years Nancy C. (LaRose) White in 2004.
He was born on September 11, 1949, in Worcester, the son of S. Francis and Virginia (Kasierski) White and was a lifelong resident of Webster. He graduated from Bartlett High School in 1967. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Nichols College in 1971, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Nichols College in 1979.
John was well known in the banking industry. During his 45 year career, he held various senior executive positions at several banks including Commerce Bank, WCIS Bank, Webster Five Cents Savings Bank, Nuvo Bank, Westbank, and Savers Bank where he retired as Sr. Vice President of Commercial Lending in 2015.
He was an active supporter, serving on the Board of Directors of various organizations in Worcester County including the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA), Hubbard Health Systems, the Webster-Dudley United Way, Lions Club, Webster-Dudley Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, and he was a member of the Nichols College Board of Advisors for many years and a member of the Thompson Road Investment Club.
John was recognized in 2009 by Nichols College as the recipient of the Alumni Achievement Award in recognition of his professional achievements. He was also honored in 2016 with the Nichols College Legacy Award, recognizing his family as a Legacy at the college with him as the first of three generations of Bison graduates, where all three of his daughters, their husbands, and his grandson Ryan Spitz followed in his footsteps earning multiple degrees from Nichols College.
He was an avid golfer and enjoyed playing at many local golf courses, especially Vineyard Valley in Pomfret, CT where he played daily. He also enjoyed spending winters in Hutchinson Island, Florida where he played golf at Ocean Village. He loved to travel and spent family summer vacations in Old Orchard Beach, ME, visited many islands by cruise ship, and enjoyed time spent in Lake George, NY. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends, and particularly his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He liked cheering on New England sports teams and could often be found during the summers on his pontoon boat on Webster Lake.
His funeral will be held on Wednesday, February 12, from Scanlon Funeral Service, 38 East Main Street, with a Mass at 11:00 AM in St. Anthony of Padua Church, 24 Dudley Hill Road, Dudley. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, Dudley. Visitation will be from 4:00PM to7:00PM on Tuesday, February 11 in the funeral home. Donations in his memory may be made to the Office of Advancement, Nichols College, P.O. Box 5000, Dudley, MA 0l57l.