Robert White, Provincetown native, passed away on Thursday Aug. 11th at home with his beloved wife and family present. He would have celebrated his 85th birthday on Sept. 6th. Bob, as he was called, attended Provincetown Schools, receiving his High School Diploma years later upon his return from Military Service. At 15, he joined the NYA Program and lived 2 years with the Passamaquoddy Indians in Maine where he became “blood brothers” and studied welding and electrical courses. It was there that he learned to love and respect the earth and Mother Nature. At 17 yrs. old Bob coerced his parents to let him join the Navy Amphibious Forces where he eventually became Coxswain (Boatswains mate 2nd Class). Bob was thrilled when his Captain let him bring his ship into Provincetown harbor. Bob participated in the Normandy Invasion of WWII. His job was to lay the smoke screen in the first wave of action and it was pouring rain with winds of 50 miles an hour. His first ship was the Reuben James, and then the USS Haines. He next went to Japan for that invasion and the Peace Treaty was signed as his ship waited in the harbor. After the Atomic Bomb dropping, Bob and a survey crew were sent in to assess the Atomic Bomb damages, a horror story he was haunted by all his life and where he was exposed to the radiation which later affected his health. His ship was also present at Eniwetok when the Hydrogen Bomb was dropped. After Bob’s return home from military life he cooked at Provincetown Howard Johnson’s, became assistant foreman with the Highway Department of the Public Works, commercially fished, and sometimes Captained various fishing fleet vessels including his Uncle Joe Corea’s fishing dragger, Papa Joe. Subsequently, Harry Albro, Statesman offered Bob a position on the Ways & Means Committee in the State House. Bob declined, citing the need to wear suits and ties everyday and opted for a position in the Division of Forestry and Waterways for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the Provincelands before the Seashore Park was established. He took courses at the University of Massachusetts with Professor Zack in Forestry. He was often seen riding “Nelly” while surveying the area. Nelly, a horse was owned by Henry Helmer, the director of Provincelands who lived in a house he built around a tree near Beech Forest in the Provincelands. Bob was instrumental in encouraging a National Park to be established for preservation, after he saw the master plan for what was intended there by the State and Town. Bob was one of a three man crew that maintained all of the Provincelands. When Seashore became reality, two men retired from the state but the Seashore encouraged Bob to transfer to the Park service because of his vast knowledge of all the boundaries within the lower cape area. He was constantly consulted by Seashore Superintendent Gibbs and engineers within the Park Service. He received an award of recognition as one of their most valuable employees for sharing his knowledge of the area. While the state still owned the land, Bob was the first licensed life guard at the Bathhouse at New Beach (now Herring Cove.) Bob served his community well as Lieutenant in the Fire Department for 25 years. He’s the last charter member of the Provincetown Rescue Squad, that he helped his father Manuel “Bob” White establish in Provincetown. Bob drove Lower Cape Ambulance, served as chairman of the Airport Commission for 8 years. In addition he served on the Shellfish Committee, and the Blessing of the Fleet Committee in its early years of organization. He was responsible for getting the USS Macon Ship here for a 4th of July celebration, working with President John F. Kennedy, who was a Senator then, to have 100 Sailors in White dress uniforms marching in parade formation through Provincetown streets for the 4th. Bob organized the Firing Squad Marching Unit while a member of the American Legion and 40 & 8 Post #71. He was also a member of the VFW Post #3152. Bob and his brother were the first to light the Pilgrim Memorial Monument at Christmas starting all the way from the top down and also lighting all along Commercial St. He was a Special Police officer for Provincetown since 1947 and he directed traffic for Sunday Masses in those early years at St. Peter the Apostle Church where he was a member, was Baptized and married there nearly 62 years ago. Bob volunteered caring for the cemetery lots in the town cemetery. Following his time in the military, Bob received a World War II Victory medal, American Area medal, European African medal, Eastern ribbon 1 Star, Asiatic Pacific ribbon, ship citation. He was also honored by the French Government for his Normandy participation.
Besides hunting and fishing, his other pastimes were gardening, making fishing lures, wood carving canes and letter openers. His idol was John Wayne. He had a life size photo of John Wayne on the inside of his basement workshop door and never tired of his movies and wearing his John Wayne watch. Bob was a great ballroom dancer with his wife during social events and won several trophies, one being at Cape Cod Community College during the Cape Centennial in the 1980s and again winning a dance marathon at Roseland Ballroom in New York.
His proudest accomplishment was his family; he never tired of telling them stories. Bob’s humor was expressed in the way of one liners and no one escaped his equal opportunity humorous insults. He had had many hospital admissions and the nurses always welcomed him back for his penchant to keep them laughing. Bob loved the Bag pipes. He heard them in the distance in battle at Normandy and it created an incentive to win the war. As a boy he hounded the theater director when the Provincetown Players performed in the West End of Provincetown until he got a minor walk-on part with noted actress Joan Blondell, a telegram delivery boy, uttering one line “telegram for Mr. Sutter” and he had many conversations with Tennessee Williams and Eugene O’Neill and many other famous people he met along his way. He befriended Papa Neutrino, a gypsy raft traveler, and Miss Ellie, a singer on the streets of Provincetown (both recently deceased) because they dared to be different and were not moved by convention.
For 7 years, Bob and his wife operated a seasonal food stand called “Mama Gino’s” on Commercial St. Across the street they simultaneously operated Bob’s Dune Tours sightseeing trips. Bob retired in 1995 after 15 years as Harbormaster for the town of Provincetown. In that endeavor he was proud of the Harbor Plan he designed that was accepted by the DEP Corp of Engineers and other affiliated state agencies.
Surviving him is his loving wife of nearly 62 years Rachel (Silva) White, his 5 children, Sharon Walker and her husband Dr. James Walker of Harvest, Alabama, Maxine Notaro and her husband Joe of No. Truro, Roberta Magowitz and her husband Howard of Davidsonville, MD, Rachel Peters and her husband Eugene of Provincetown and Shawn White and his wife Tammi of West Brook, CT., his 12 grandchildren, Suzanne Bates, Eric, Maxine & Darlene Meads, Cheryl Tasha, Daniel, Jeff and Gregory Notaro, Tyler and Niles Magowitz, Kimberly and Natasha White and Joshua and Jeremy Peters and 9 great grandchildren, He was the grandfather of the late Alexis Walker. He is also survived by his brother Ronald White and his wife Kathleen of Provincetown and their family.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Peter the Apostle Church 11 Prince St. Provincetown on Wednesday August 17, 2011 at 11:00am. Visiting hours are Tuesday 5-8pm in the Gately – McHoul Funeral Home 94 Harry Kemp Way Provincetown. If desired memorial contributions in his memory may be made to the Provincetown Rescue Squad 25 Shank Painter Road Provincetown, MA 02657.