In Memory: John Gerard White, Age 83
John Gerard White, a longtime resident of Rye, NY, passed away peacefully on February 22, 2024. He was 83 years old.
Born in Brooklyn in 1940, he was the third child of four boys. John was raised in the Orienta section of Mamaroneck, NY and attended Holy Trinity Grammar School, Iona Preparatory School and Mamaroneck High School. In high school, he played football and excelled as a swimmer, participating in swim trials for the US National Team in the late 1950’s. As a young man, he enjoyed spending time on Long Island Sound and worked as a lifeguard at Orienta Beach Club.
Following high school, he worked at Brewer’s Hardware Store on the Post Road in Mamaroneck to help pay his way through college, ultimately graduating from New York University in 1963.
After his college years, John embarked on a forty year career in the commercial real estate industry.
Like many people, John faced challenges throughout his life and tried to do his best to overcome them, not the least of which were the deaths of his first wife, Elizabeth, and two children, Alexandra and Eric, in a house fire at the family’s home in New Canaan, CT in 1975.
In 1977, John married Melinda O’Keefe and adopted her two young sons, Robbie and Sean. John and Melinda settled in Rye.
In business, John was a leading commercial real estate broker in Westchester and Fairfield Counties, starting his career with Cross and Brown and later becoming a partner at Rostenberg Doern & Co. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and a talent at building long term business relationships, John established his own firm, John G. White Realty, Inc. in the early 1980’s.
Throughout his career, John agented commercial property transactions for some of the largest companies in Westchester County including IBM, Xerox, and Con Edison, among many others and built relationships with leading commercial property developers in the area. He served on the Business Development Board of the Hudson Valley Bank and was a member of Rotary International serving as President of the Harrison chapter for many years.
John and Melinda enjoyed raising their family in Rye and were active members of the Coveleigh Club. In his spare time, John enjoyed photography, jazz music, tennis, and walking along the Long Island Sound with the family’s beloved Yorkshire Terrier, Samantha. Throughout their life together, Melinda remained a loving, devoted and resilient supporter.
In addition to his beloved wife, Melinda, John White is survived by his brother Patrick, his two sons and their spouses: Rob (Cathrine) and Sean (Jessica); and four grandchildren: Liam, Katie, Madison, and Jane. He was predeceased by his brothers Donald and Raymond.
A memorial gathering for John will be held Saturday, March 2, 2024 from 11:00am to 12:00pm at D’Elia Funeral Home, 1300 Vermont Ave, Lakewood, NJ 08701, followed by a memorial service from 12:00pm to 12:45pm.
