F. Leon White, 75, of Centralia passed away on Wednesday, May 18, 2016, at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca.

Leon was born on February 18, 1941, in rural Vermillion, to Fred and Trula Lucille (Morrison) White. He attended Windy Ridge and Mulberry Elementary Country Schools and graduated from Centralia High in 1959. As a young man Leon worked for Pawnee Iron Works, and then for the State of Kansas, surveying.

On April 16, 1966 Leon married Dorothy Rempe at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Corning. After they were married Leon was employed by McBratney Implements in Centralia. In 1969, he started his own business called White’s Town and Farm Service and operated it for 35 years. After he retired he worked for USD 380 in Centralia as a custodian for 10 years, and then he went to work part time for Nemaha County Coop.

He was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and the Centralia Jaycees; he was a past member and president of Young Farmers and Businessmen, the Centralia Fire Department where he was also the chief for several years, the Centralia City Council for several years and was on the Council while the Centralia Lake was being built, the Centralia Ball Association and helped coach girls softball and was a FFA advisory committee member.

Leon loved to weld and taught several the trade. He loved to problem solve and figure out how to fix equipment that wasn’t working or to build something from nothing; he built several two-wheel tilt trailers and lawn swings. Leon was always willing to help other and continued to help others by being a tissue donor.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Trula White; and a brother, Jim White in 2000.

Leon is survived by his wife of 50 years, Dorothy; a daughter, Rhonda (Bret) Frakes of Valley Falls, Kansas; two sons, Ryan (Annette) White of Solider, Kansas and Russell (Jennifer) White of Linwood, Kansas; a sister, Norma (Val) Henton of Dodge City, Kansas; a brother, Harry of Cottonwood Falls, Kansas; eight grandchildren, Brittany Frakes, Christina & Katie Kelsey, Megan & Miley White, Erika, Jodi and Jason White; and one great-granddaughter, Briley Wells.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, May 23, 2016 at 10:30AM at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Corning. Burial will be in the St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Corning. A Rosary will be prayed on Sunday at 4 PM, followed by a visitation at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.

Memorials are for Centralia Fire Department and the Centralia EMT’s, sent in care of the family.