Harold Birts White, Jr., 94, of Huntsville, AL, died on Monday, October 23, 2023, in his home surrounded by his family.
Hal, as he was known to family and friends, was born on March 13, 1929, the son of the late Harold B. White, Sr, and Annie Ruth Burnette White in Little Rock, AR. He graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 1947.
He attended Columbia University in New York and received his B.A. in 1951; M.A. in 1953, and Ph.D in 1957. He graduated with honors and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He was also a member of SIgma Chi Fraternity.
Dr. White served on the administrative staff of the University of Mississippi Medical Center as director of the division of Learning Resources from 1975-1995. He led on institutional self-study reports for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1987-1989 and in 1998-2000. He was perennial commencement marshal, platform party, until his retirement.
Dr. White thoroughly enjoyed teaching first-year medical students Lipid Biochemistry for 33 years. He was recognized in 1996, 1972, and 1973 by the students in the UMC yearbook “Medic Salutes.”
He was a well-published and well-funded researcher in the field of Lipid Biochemistry, especially as it relates to the brain.
In 1958, Hal married Carolyn Sue Odom of Decatur, AL. The couple made their home in West Lafayette, Indiana, where their son Harold Odom White was born. Hal was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biochemistry at Purdue University and later became an assistant professor in the department.
The family moved to Jackson, MS, in 1961 for Dr. White to join the University of Mississippi School of Medicine faculty as assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry. He became full professor in 1968 and was a National Institutes of Health Research Career Development awardee from 1964-1974. Years later he was named Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry.
During 1968-1969 the family, now four with the birth of daughter Charlotte Blair White, moved to Milan, Italy. Dr. White was invited by noted research scientist Rodolfo Paoletti M.D. to spend a year as a visiting scientist in the Department of Pharmacology, University of Milan to work with him on early brain lipid development.
Included among his professional memberships were the Mississippi Section of the American Chemical Society where he served as president; American Society of Biological Chemists and Molecular Biologists; American Medical Association (affiliate), Association of American Medical Colleges where he served as Correspondent to the Group on Medical Education; Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society (life member); Health Sciences Consortium where he was chairman of the board of directors; and Association of Biomedical Communications directors.
He was an invited speaker at international symposia on tumor lipids and fat emulsions in parenteral nutrition.
At the Medical Center, Dr. White chaired the faculty committee which petitioned The Society of Sigma Xi for elevation of the club to chapter status which was approved in 1966 at the national meeting. He coordinated four “Advances in Gas Chromatography” regional conferences. His colleagues elected him president of the Faculty Senate in1973. He served as chairman of the medical school curriculum committee and president of the Friends of Rowland Medical Library.
Hal and Carolyn cherished their children and grandchildren dearly. Traveling at home and abroad was a great pleasure. He was an avid gardener and liked to fish with his buddies in the Tuesday Lunch Bunch. He enjoyed making collages with stamps from reprint requests for his published research work.
In May 2016, Hal and Carolyn, both in their eighties, sold their Jackson, MS, home and moved to Huntsville, AL. They began independent living in a retirement home. Wherever they lived, they were active in the Methodist church. In Huntsville it was Trinity United Methodist Church. Their new home offered space to have a garden, and Hal was trying his luck growing dwarf fruit trees and vegetables.
He is survived by his dear and wonderful wife, Carolyn, together for 65 years; son, Harold Odom White (Sue) of Dallas, Texas; daughter, Charlotte White Martin (Greg) of Huntsville, AL; granddaughters, Blair Flint (Brian) of Oxford, MS, Gracie Alexander (Sam) of Chattanooga, TN, and Caroline Darrow (Jacob) of Nashville, TN; great-grandchildren, Roman Etley Flint, Sarah Jackson Flint, and Woods Robert Alexander; his nephew, Rick White; and niece, Cindy White.
Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. on Friday, October 27, 2023, at Trinity Methodist Church with the service following at 2 p.m. Burial will follow in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to United Methodist Childrens’ Homes either in MS at 805 North Flag Chapel Road, Jackson, MS 39209, phone 601-853-5000, or in AL at 3140 Zelda Court, Suite 100, Montgomery, AL 36106-2607, phone 205-837-0141 (www.embracealkids.org).
