Jack White has died

It is with great sadness that I report the news that our friend Jack White has died.  Jack White was a pioneer in studying the photographic record of the JFK assassination. He made many significant contributions to the photographic record and our understanding of key issues in the JFK assassination.  Thank you for your work Jack. You will be missed.

Jack D. White (1927 - 2012)

Jack D. White, 85, passed away Monday, June 18, 2012. Funeral: 3:30 p.m.
Thursday in Mount Olivet Chapel. Interment: Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Visitation: 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Mount Olivet Funeral Home. Memorials:
Those desiring to honor Jack's memory may contribute to a TCU Journalism
Department scholarship fund or a charity of choice . Jack was born Jan.
17, 1927, in San Angelo, moving to Fort Worth with his parents, John
Nathan White and Billie Lorena Dumas White, shortly after his birth.
Graduating from Carter-Riverside High School in 1944, he worked briefly
for the Fort Worth Press covering high school sports under the legendary
sports editor H.H. "Pop" Boone. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during
World War II and while serving attended Stanford University in the ROTC
program. Discharged in 1946, Jack entered Texas Christian University,
graduating in 1949 with a B.A. in journalism and began an advertising
career as copywriter and art director at Yates Advertising Agency. In
1954, he joined Witherspoon and Ridings Public Relations Agency, which
later became Witherspoon and Associates, as the firm's first art
director. During his 27 years with the agency he rose to vice president,
executive art director, personnel manager and part owner. He specialized
in design and photography. Although he had photographed the city since
the 1950s, he began collecting Fort Worth photographs seriously in 1972
when Witherspoon was planning the 100th anniversary for one of its
clients and he was in charge of acquiring copies of historical prints of
Fort Worth. After the event he took care to preserve all the exhibit
materials and during the next 20 years he reproduced other client's
historical photographs and took hundreds of pictures to add to the
collection. Jack retired from Witherspoon in 1981 and formed his own
company, Jack White Enterprises, specializing in free-lance art and
photography. In 1984, taking two partners, the firm's name changed to
VJS Companies. In 1991, he again became a sole proprietor. Because of
his interest in Fort Worth history, he spearheaded a group of local
historians and launched an internet website, which he named "The Way We
Were," to display and research old photos of the city. Another of Jack's
interest has been the study of the John F. Kennedy assassination,
serving as a photographic consultant to the U.S. Senate Select Committee
on Assassinations during its hearings, as well a consultant on the JFK
film. He produced two videotapes on his photographic studies of the
assassination and developed a slide lecture, while contributing his
research to books and professional journals. Jack's collection of JFK
assassination books and materials and his old Fort Worth photographs
have been donated to UTA Library's Special Collections where they are
accessible to those interested. Jack married the former Sue Benningfield
in 1969 and in 1977 they were instrumental in reactivating their
neighborhood home owners association. He served as president for several
years. He painted many works of art which hang in private collections
and adorn the walls of his modern home, as well as a large painting of
the Fort Worth skyline on display at the Fort Worth Public Library. He
was an avid TCU alumnus and until last year had not missed a home
football or basketball game since 1946. He enjoyed yard work and raising
tomatoes, which he happily supplied his friends. Survivors: Wife, Sue;
cousins, Pat O'Neal of Fort Worth, Laura O'Neal Tauzel of Arlington,
Larry O'Neal of Fort Worth, Nancy Robbins of Denton and Shirley Hurley
of Haltom City; and a host of wonderful friends.

Published in Star-Telegram on June 20, 2012