White, Malcolm K
Malcolm K. White, 98, of Ashford, Connecticut died peacefully on April 23. He was predeceased by his wife Lillie (Winans) White.
“Mac” was born in East Aurora, New York, on January 11,1924, the son of the late Grover and Evelyn White. He grew up in East Aurora, where he was the valedictorian of his high school class, and a clarinet player and runner. Attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute, he earned an MS in Chemical Engineering and ran track. During that time he met and married Lillie, and served in the Naval Air Corps during World War II.
Married for 67 years, Mac and “Swish” first raised a family in Wayland, then Wenham, Massachusetts. In 1974, they moved into an antique cape in Ashford, Connecticut, atop a hundred acres. A talented chemical engineer, Mac was employed by Arthur D Little in Boston, and later at United Shoe Machinery Corporation in Beverly. In Connecticut, he designed and operated a
pollution control plant at Pervel Industries in Plainfield until retirement.
Active in his community, Mac served on the Wenham and Ashford Planning and Zoning Boards. He was a member of Christ Church in Hamilton, Massachusetts and Christ Church, Pomfret, where he sang in choirs with Lillie. On the North Shore, he starred in small venue plays such as ‘Bell Book and Candle,' and was a featured singer in ‘Noye's Fludde' and ‘The Nativity According to Saint Luke,' at Christ Church. Mac had
a keen respect for the natural environment. He was a member of Tree Growers, Incorporated, and worked with the Nature Conservancy to preserve 70 acres of family property. He enjoyed nothing more than a quiet
walk in his woods or a swim or canoe trip with family and friends.
Mac was a tinkerer, woodworker and mechanic. He rebuilt every house he lived in, doing all carpentry, plumbing and electrical work. An avid tennis player, he built a stone dust court in Wenham, by himself. His insatiable curiosity kept him reading actively all his life. He will be remembered for his incredible mind, singular wit, commanding presence, and most of all his love for family.
Mac is survived by daughter Randall D White, son Douglas White and wife Marti, son Gerrit White and wife Susan, and daughter Jesse White. He is also survived by grandchildren Alexander, Benjamin, Marguerite, Nicholas, and Celia White, great-granddaughters Evelyn and Olivia, and his companion Sylvia.
A private celebration of his life will be held at his Ashford home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to: The Nature Conservancy, Special Olympics, or the ASPCA.