Russell M. White

Russell Mack White Sr., 68 of the Rose Hill Community near Rison, went to be with our Lord, Tuesday, January 6, 2009. He was at UAMS in Little Rock fighting cancer and passed away peacefully in his sleep.

Mr. White was born December 30, 1940 to Virgil John White and Ada Glen Gracie White on the same farm of his current family residence in Cleveland County. His paternal grandparents, Thomas D. White and Rachel Kimbrell White and maternal grandparents, Robert Lee Gracie and Matilda Akines Gracie, were all natives of Dorsey/Cleveland County.

Mr. White retired from Mid America Packaging in Pine Bluff in 1999 and has since owned and helped in the operation of the family business, Rusty W Farms. At a younger age he enjoyed participating in horse shows and rodeos. He was a Charter Member of the Cleveland County Mounted Patrol. Mr. White loved coaching Little League Baseball and Pee Wee Football. He was also active in the Boy Scouts of American in Rison, and served on the troop committee of Troop 8 and Committee Chairman of Troop 5. He was a member of Rison Baptist Church.

In addition to his parents and grandparents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Elton White.

Survivors include his wife, Diane Butcher White, whom he married April 27, 1962; a son and daughter-in-law, Russell Mack (Rusty) White Jr. and Kristi Lloyd White; one foster daughter and son-in-law,, Rhonda Hopper Brown and Jason Brown of Van Buren, AR; two brothers, Thomas Lee White and James Royce White, all of Cleveland County; one sister, Patsy White Smith of Lowell, Arkansas; four grandchildren, Blake White, Hunter White and Cody White, all of Cleveland County and Isabella Brown of Van Buren, AR.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, January 9, 2009 at Buie Funeral Chapel with Brother Wade Totty officiating. Burial will follow in the New Hope Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday January 8, 2009 at Buie Funeral Home in Rison. Pallbearers are Gary White, Johnny White, Tony White, Jimmy Todd, Butch Butcher and Dave Todd. Memorials may be made to Rison Baptist Church Youth Activities Building Fund, P.O. Box 404, Rison, Arkansas 71665. Arrangements are under the directions of Buie Funeral Home of Rison.