Oran Lee White

Funeral services for Oran Lee White, 85, of Huntington will be held Friday, September 12, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. in the Carroway Funeral Home Chapel in Huntington with Dr. Darryl Smith and Pastor Byron Smith officiating. Graveside services with military honors will follow in Huntington Cemetery.

Mr. White was born July 20, 1940 in Aurora, Illinois to the late Lala (Montgomery) White and Howard Arthur White, and went to be with his Lord and Savior Saturday, September 6, 2025 in a local hospital.

At age 18, he enlisted in the Army and served in Germany from 1959 to 1961. After returning from overseas, he met the love of his life, Josephine “Jo”, in late 1961 and they were married March 10, 1962. He worked as a welder in Illinois for both Austin Western and Caterpillar from 1961 - 1980. In 1981 he relocated his family to Huntington, Texas where he began a 21-year career at Lufkin Industries until retirement in 2002.

He was a devoted and loving husband and father and worked hard to provide for his family. He taught his daughters the value of a good work ethic and often took them fishing for quality time in their younger years. He publicly declared his love for the Lord in 2021 and was baptized in a neighbor's pool (due to then Covid restrictions). He was a member of Huntington First Baptist Church and never wanted to miss a Sunday service, especially The Seekers Life Group class. He loved spending time with family, including being "Pawpaw" to his grandkids and great-grandkids. He enjoyed fishing and deer hunting in his younger years; socializing and playing games at the Huntington Senior Center and reading westerns in his later years.

Survivors include his wife of 63-1/2 years, Jo (Benson) White of Huntington; daughters and son-in-law, Karen White of Malakoff, Melissa and Sean Willis of Huntington; grandchildren, Hunter Willis of Huntington, Erin Barrios and husband Trent of Henderson; great-grandchildren, Jameson Barrios and Silas Barrios; sister and brother-in-law, Marilyn and Thomas Baird of Oswego, Illinois; and a number of nieces, nephews and other relatives.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sons, Kevin Lee White and Donald Lee White; and brothers, Donald White, Gerald “Jerry” White, Harold White and Roy White.

Pallbearers will be Sean Willis, Hunter Willis, Trent Barrios, Terry Bowers, and Adam White.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Huntington First Baptist Church Building Fund, 702 N. Main Street, Huntington, Texas 75949.

The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday evening at the funeral home.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Huntington, directors.