July 5, 2026, 74, Goldsboro – David James White, 74, died Sunday, July 5th, 2026 at the Durham VA Hospital with his family by his side. David was born October 28th, 1951, in Igloo, South Dakota, to James Edmund White and Mary Goeke White. He had two maternal siblings, Charles (Carol) Schlather and Roberta (Tex) Bulkley, and one paternal sibling, Carrol “Butch” White.
He was a graduate of Hot Springs High School in 1969. In 1970, he met Johnetta Michele Evans while the two were students at Eugene Bible College. On June 9th, 1971, they were married; they would later be blessed with three daughters: Cecile, Davina, and Rosanna.
He served as Weapons Release AFSC in the United States Air Force from August 7th, 1971 to September 1st, 1996. For his final eight years, he served as First Sergeant. He achieved Honor Graduate in a general instructor program and served as an instructor for Weapons Release from December of ‘80 to May ‘83. He was nicknamed “The Preacher” by many of his peers. Duty assignments included Castle AFB, Kunsan Air Base , Lowry AFB, Moody AFB, an installation site in Forsyth, Montana, and finally Seymour Johnson AFB, where he retired in 1996.
During and after his military service, David had a variety of odd jobs to support his family, whether that was delivering magazines, bagging groceries, pyrotechnics, or operating the projector at a base movie theater. After retiring from the military, he completed the accelerated degree program at Mount Olive College and earned a BS in Business Administration the same month as his daughter Rosanna who completed a degree at ECU. Briefly he worked at WAGES as an assistant director with the Migrant Head Start program before becoming a state employee working many positions at Cherry Hospital and the DMV in Raleigh NC. He fully retired in 2018.
Throughout his life, David was known for his active participation in church ministries. He could always be heard singing boldly, whether in a choir or by his family’s side. He played his trumpet for multiple church orchestras. He acted in countless Christian skits incorporating mediums like mime, clowning, and puppetry. At The Lord’s Table, he was requested by Pastor Bill Wilson to be “The Voice” that read scripture for him during church services every Sunday. David served as a deacon as a young married man in his 20’s and again the last two years of his life. He valued his time of service and attendance at Church Alive in Pikeville, NC.
In retirement, he enjoyed relaxing in his recliner at home, participating in the Senior Games, and going on the road to visit family across the country with his wife and dog, Libby (short for Liberty). He volunteered on many occasions with his family in other organizations as well, like the Wayne County Museum, StageStruck, and Center Stage Theater. He was an avid lover of music, guns, knives, motorcycles and sports of any kind (but especially golf).
He is preceded in death by his father, mother, siblings, cousin David Goeke, and nephew Brandon Paclik.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years Johnnie White, three daughters Cecile (Laurence) Mahlstadt of Goldsboro, Davina White of Moneta VA, Rosanna (Tom) Anderson of Dudley, four grandchildren Ambur (Chris) Martin of Fairbanks AK, Bruce (Clair) Mahlstadt of Holly Springs NC, David “DJ” White of Goldsboro, Charles Mahlstadt of Goldsboro, two great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. He was especially grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with his nephew Jerry White after decades of no contact.
David will be remembered for his gentle spirit, his quick wit, his comforting presence and his powerfully unmistakable voice.
The family will receive friends on Sunday, July 12, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at Seymour Funeral Home in Goldsboro. A service to celebrate David’s life will be at 10:00am, on Monday, July 13, in the chapel of Seymour Funeral Home. Interment will follow at 12:00pm at Eastern Carolina State Veterans Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Wayne County Museum, 116 N. William Street, Goldsboro, NC 27530.
The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the Durham VA staff who gave David such loving care and compassion.
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