Obituary of Darwin Duane White

     Darwin Duane White, age 87, of Rogers, Arkansas passed peacefully Wednesday, November 27, 2024, at Circle of Life Hospice House located in Bentonville, Arkansas.  He was born March 23, 1937, in Taylor County, Iowa, the second son of Bernice Iola (Ridnour) and Everett George White.

      Even after being seriously injured as a teen when he was thrown from a spooked family farm mare, he enjoyed everything “cowboy”! True to form, his favorite television entertainment entailed western movies and endless reruns of Gun smoke. Darwin's consistent style of dress included boots, pointed yoke shirts with pearl snap closures, and of course, a fancy western bolo tie.

     Darwin and his family grew up on a family farm in Clarinda, Iowa.

    As a young man, Darwin served the United States in the National Guard from 1955 to 1963, was called up during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and later earned an Honorable Discharge.

   Darwin married Beverly Jean Black on September 14, 1958, in Cumberland, Iowa and raised his family with two sons, Daniel and Timothy, in Omaha, Nebraska.

    After 34 years of service, he retired from National Indemnity Insurance Company in Omaha and later moved south, settling at Beaver Shores in Rogers, Arkansas with his wife Beverly and their son Danny.  Darwin soon found a rewarding second career as a greeter at Walmart's Neighborhood Market, where his ebullient, frisky personality garnered many new friends who remember him dearly to this day for his ribald stories, jokes, and songs. Darwin was treasured in that position for over twenty more years.

     Darwin is preceded in death by his sainted wife of 58 years, Beverly (Black) White; his son Daniel Duane White; a sister Lois Elaine Witham; brothers Everett Wendell White and Gene Roger White; sister-in-law Beverly Joan (Smith); a nephew Everett G. White II; and a niece Teri Lynn White.

     He is survived by a recent cherished companion, Eva Harrison of Rogers; and many relatives: a son Timothy J. White (Jaime); a sister Shirley Ann Ankeny; a brother Gary Wayne White (Connie);  sister-in-law Shirley K. White; grandsons Maxwell and Dalton White; a niece Karie Ann White (Jason Ellis) and nephews Chris White (Theresa),  Ty White, Bart (Linda) White, Mark E. White, David (Chrissandra) Ankeny, Mike (Kim) Ankeny, Roy (Brenna) Ankeny, Gene Randall (Sue Ann), Terrence Daniel (Joy) and others including dear friends too numerous to list.

Happy Trails to you, dear Darwin!

Darwin's family wishes to express special thanks to some very special people in very special agencies who made Darwin's transitional experiences safe, enjoyable and the most comfort possible. Notably:

Susan Wood and her staff at Cornerstone Caregiving

Angela Houser with Care Patrol

Mary Kley, Adrienne Westbrook and Cheryl Filla with Village on the Park, Rogers

Angie Stirling, the hospice nurse with NWA Circle of Life