Richard Crawford White

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Richard C. White (April 29, 1923 — February 18, 1998) served in the Texas House of Representatives and later as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to his public service, he served the United State as a Japanese-English interpreter in the Pacific Theater of the World War II. He received a Purple Heart, and returned safely to his hometown of El Paso, Texas. When he originally returned home, he often said that he was unable to sleep in such safe conditions, and consequently hung a sword above his bedding. While in college, later, he also had similar difficulties in transitioning as random people made "whistling" sound that instinctively reminded him of mortar fire; he was comically embarrassed by his reaction, even in his later years during usual "4th of July" fireworks celebrations. His war year haunted him as he always wished to compose his memoirs or other anecdotes of that time in his life, he never fully realized that goal; he left mostly unpublished accounts of instances in his service. Mr. White was married twice. His first marriage was to a childhood friend, Kathy. They had three sons: Rodrick, Richard, and Raymond. His second marriage was to Kathleen Fitzgerald in 1973. They had one daughter and three sons; here, in order of age: Kenneth, Bonnie, Sean, and Brian.

In the winter of 1984, they moved from Washington D.C. to El Paso, Texas, so that he could resume his local law practice.

Richard White died in February 1998. His death was unexpected from the standpoint of his children. Bonnie White and Kathleen White were present at his moment of death, and have each commented that he abruptly rose from his bed and started from the direction of some mylar helium balloons as if frightened. Kenneth, Sean, and Brian were notified of the sudden change and arrived at Providence Memorial hospital after Richard White's heart had stopped, and medical workers were attempting to revitalize that organ. Roughly 0:45.00 minutes after Richard White's heart had stopped beating, medical workers were able to achieve cardiac resuscitation, but due to the long period of oxygen deficiency, Mr. White's brain had incurred severe damage.

Brian White's Memory:

I remember witnessing my father in the Intensive Care Unit of Providence Memorial Hospital after the medical team there managed to reactivate his heart. I, and others, commented on his leg "kicking" which appeared as a slow motor response to discomfort. The medical team gravely commented that the response was more akin to a basic muscle spasm than it was like a motor response. He was declared clinically dead shortly thereafter.

Because Richard White had only achieved the rank of Corporal, in the US Marine Corps, he, during his life, was not optimistic about being buried in Arlington cemetery, but due to the zealous efforts of Silvestre Reyes, member of US Congress for the 16th district of Texas at that time, and Mr. White's own service as a member of the US Congress, he was; Richard White's Ashes are buried in Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia, United States. He is Buried near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in area 7A, near Joe Lewis.