WASHINGTON — Elijah "Scratcher" White Jr. of Windham passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack Friday, Jan. 11.

Share

E-mail this story Print this story Save this story

Sponsor

Elijah 'Scratcher' White Jr.

Elijah 'Scratcher' White Jr.

He was born Sept 1, 1935, in Mexico, a son of Helen and Elijah “Tiger” White Sr. Elijah grew up in Carthage.

Carrying on the White tradition set by his dad and uncles, Elijah spent his life as a fourth-generation logger and small business man. He began at age 8, peeling fir trees for 10 cents a tree, and in his teens he worked in the Carthage Sawmill and for Frank Rossi cutting trees.

At 16, he joined the Army National Guard, and at 17, he joined the Air Force for 4 years, where he learned to be a mechanic.

When his brother Wayne returned home from the Army, they started a logging company, E & W White. Elijah finished his logging career last year working alongside his son Lance White in their company E & L Logging. Elijah was inducted into the Loggers Hall Of Fame in Rangeley on July 29, 2011.

He enjoyed spending time with family and watching sports. what he enjoyed most recently was traveling the country with his love, Sue Cousens, playing in poker and cribbage tournaments. He earned a Masters Award in the American Cribbage Congress in 2010.

He survived many life threatening injuries like rabies (first to use penicillin in Rumford), gunshot (hunting accident), broken neck and back (logging accident), and salmonella (medical mystery).

Elijah is survived by his Love, Sue Cousens of Windham; his siblings, Wayne White and wife, Emmy, Gloria Ellis and husband, Ron, and Ronnie White of Carthage, Meredith Robbins and husband, Randy, of Dixfield, Doreen Smith and her husband, Dean, of Tennessee; his children: Jo Spielvogel and husband, Stephen, of Virginia, Laurie McCabe and husband, Dennis, of California, Rosemary Deckard and husband, Brian, of Kentucky, and Lance White and wife, Tess, of Dixfield; his stepchildren: Gloria Wilkins of Wilton, Michael Rice of East Dixfield and Gena Flagg of Farmington; 13 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Elijah was predeceased by his parents; his sister, Marie Conant of Waterville; his children, Elijah White III and Ladonna White; and his stepchildren, Terry Rice and Ricky Rice.

Condolences and tributes may be shared on his memorial wall at www.wilesrc.com.