Born to Frank and Wilma (Varnes) White on Feb. 15, 1950, Mike graduated from Hornell High School in 1968 and immediately joined the Navy. After serving eight years he returned to Western New York and embarked on several careers including receiving an AAS degree in Horticulture Studies from Alfred State College in 1986.
Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Linda Z. White; his ‘boys’, Andrew (Angela) Zaruba, Branchport, NY; Brick (Kristen) White, Manassas, VA; Chris (Jeanne) Harding, Canon City, CO; sister Evonne (Donald) Patterson, Stanleytown, VA; brother Christopher (Tammy), Fremont, NY ;grandchildren, Alexander, Kendra, Nicholas Zaruba and Ashley Harding; great grandson, Lennox Harding; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters June and Judith White; Gail Davis; Doris Mills; brothers Kevin, Jerry and Larry White.
Friends and family will best remember Mike as ‘Lord of the Manor’ at his beloved camp, Vandermark Gardens, where he hosted over 30 years of weekend camp outs, family reunions, chicken barbecues, poker parties, birthday, graduation and wedding celebrations along with several memorial services for dear friends, a place where everyone was revered, welcomed and left with a story to tell and a memory to share.
Per Michael’s wishes there will be no funeral service, but a Celebration of Life is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, May 26 at the VFW in Hornell, details to follow.
