Gerald White of Wilmington, DE passed away at age 85 on August 18, 2019, leaving behind his wife and partner of 56 years, Bonnie, daughters Martha M. White of Wilmington and Stephanie W. Kropac (Charles) of Media, PA. He was known as Jerry, Whitey, Cupcake, Pay, PG, Dad, Uncle Jerry to 19 nieces and nephews, and Pop Pop to his three adored grandchildren, Katie, Ben and Carter Kropac.
Jerry White was a deal maker, a good dancer and a hard worker. He made a lot of people laugh with his quick wit. He loved ice water, Irvin’s Ginger snaps and anything made with coconut. He supported charities that served the homeless and the poor, and was an admirer and volunteer for Brother Ronald Giannone’s many Ministry of Caring projects. He served on various boards in Old New Castle and Wilmington and also on the board of his fraternity at the University of Pennsylvania- St. Anthony Hall. In retirement he volunteered at Hagley and The Nemours Hospital for Children. For fun, Jerry played golf and tennis with his friends and Rummikub with his grandchildren.
Born to Delaware parents, Grace Carpenter White and Willard T. White, Jerry grew up with four siblings: Willard T. White, Jr. (deceased), Edward C. White and R. Bruce White, of Wilmington, and Gail White Landon, of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, and with many cousins in the Wilmington area. He graduated from Tower Hill (where he was given the Service Award), then the Wharton School at Penn (where he was a coxswain for the crew team). Jerry served as a Supply Officer in the Navy for 3 ½ years, mostly as paymaster and purchaser for the North Atlantic Fleet aboard the destroyer USS Robinson DD562. He never was sea sick. His destroyer took him to Sweden, Spain, Italy and Greece and went through the Suez Canal to Karachi, Pakistan. He loved the Navy.
Jerry became a skilled commercial realtor, first at Gilpin Van Trump and Montgomery, then at P. Gerald White, Inc., which he started in 1979. He handled commercial leasing and sales of office buildings, sold empty schools, obsolete hospitals, historic structures, brown fields, airspace, and raw land, and he acquired properties for Wilmington’s redevelopment. He also worked as a consultant and did pro bono work for various groups in the Wilmington area. Jerry led P. Gerald White, Inc, until becoming a Senior Director for the international real estate company, Cushman and Wakefield, in 1996. As a member of The Society of Industrial and Office Realtors, he made sales all over the country and was Cushman and Wakefield’s high ranking producer until retirement in 2011.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory can be made to Ministry of Caring Inc., 115 E. 14th Street, Wilmington, DE 19801-3209 or Sunday Breakfast Mission, PO Box 352, Wilmington DE 19899-0352.
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