The dash in the life of Brother Arthur Alfred White

[Guest Nicole]

I attended the funeral service of a close family friend, Arthur Alfred White (1936–2017) on Monday, Feb. 27 at the Mililani Assembly Hall, Honolulu. The second of three children, Art had presence from the beginning; he weighed 13 pounds at birth, and stood 6 feet 3 inches tall as a man who wore size 13 shoes. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Marilee Y. White, and sister Geri Munyer.

I was deeply affected by this faithful, spiritual man from the time I met him in 1983 until his death, and Steff grew to trust him and have deep respect for him too. Art and Marilee came to Guam in 1981 after he was assigned as branch committee member and district overseer for Guam and Micronesia. In 1988, Art became the branch coordinator until his reassignment to Hawaii, primarily for health reasons in 2007.

 Losing a friend to cancer

Leaving Guam and Micronesia was heart-wrenching for them, as Art and Marilee embraced the island people and they were loved in return. Art meant so much to both Steff and I that we gave our youngest son “Arthur” as his middle name. We also made it a point to see them every year in Hawaii. So, when another friend, Calvin Arii, called and said, “Rlene, I’m calling to let you know that Art died,” a few seconds passed as his words stung, then I took a deep breath and replied, “Calvin, I always dreaded this call, but thank you for letting me know.”

Art was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in November 2016. He died in his sleep on Feb. 7. He did not smoke a day in his life – Jehovah’s Witnesses do not smoke – so exposure to secondhand smoke could not be given as a reason for his diagnosis. Marilee said, “His doctors were puzzled,” and no one could provide an explanation for his condition. It didn’t slow Art down. He continued to preach and conduct his Bible studies, and never missed a meeting at the Kingdom Hall or any assignment.

'Indelibly etched in Jehovah’s memory'

Archaeologist Aki Sinoto delivered the memorial talk – he studied the Bible with Art – and eventually became a baptized Jehovah’s Witness himself. Aki opened his remarks saying, “If you look at a typical grave marker, one would likely see prominently carved into it a person’s name, and somewhere below it, the day of birth and the day of death (and) the small dash in between.

“So, are the beginning and the ending of a person’s life the most important parts to consider?” Sinoto asked. “No,” he answered, “the dash is of greater interest because it represents the individual’s life course.”

Sinoto referenced Ecclesiastes 7:1-2, and pointed out that an individual’s reputation – his name – is acquired during his lifetime and acknowledged at the end of his life. “More importantly,” Sinoto said, “if that individual had dedicated his life to Jehovah, and lived according to his vow, God’s word tells us that his good name will be indelibly etched in Jehovah’s memory.”

The dash in Art's life

Sinoto defined the beginning of the dash in Art’s life at the age of 8, as Art engaged in seasonally picking strawberries to earn enough money for school clothes and supplies. As a teenager, Art fished for salmon during the summer months and earned enough money to support himself for the rest of the year. It was in high school that Art found the truth and dedicated his life to Jehovah in 1954, at 18 years old.

The Mililani Assembly Hall was filled with surviving family members of those who embraced Art White as the “haole” young man in the early '60s when he was assigned to Hawaii. The friends who served with him at what Brother Nathan Knorr, the third president of the Watch Tower Bible and Track Society, called “the last frontier” – Guam and Micronesia – came to listen to the discourse, and to show their loving respect and appreciation for “Brother White,” a man known by generations of Pacific Islanders for his intimate knowledge and skillful use of the Bible.

I am grateful that Art shared his dash with us, and when I was ready to dedicate my life to Jehovah, Art was the brother who dashed into my life. He was a fine example for all of us, and look forward to the resurrection.

https://www.postguam.com/forum/featured_columnists/the-dash-in-the-life-of-brother-arthur-alfred-white/article_7bc284d2-ff37-11e6-ad36-d74e8b7a2399.html