H. “Lee” White Jr. — proud father and grandfather — of Midland, passed away peacefully, with his family by his side, on Nov. 10, 2024, after battling Lewy Body Dementia. He was 75.
The son of Harry Lee White and Kathleen Howe White, Lee was born Oct. 24, 1949, in Hamlet. Lee grew up playing sports, loved all things outdoors, and was active in the Boy Scouts, eventually earning the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout. After attending Hamlet High School, Lee graduated from the University of North Carolina with a Pharmacy degree and returned to Hamlet to become a partner at the renowned Mabry’s Drug Store, where he served the Hamlet community until his retirement in 2012.
Lee married Hayne Liles, also of Hamlet, in 1971, and they had two children — Andrew Lee White and Kristin Elaine White — both of whom went on to become professional engineers. While their marriage ended in 2000, Lee and Hayne remained amicable and shared a mutual respect for each other as well as a profound love of their children.
In 2002, Lee married the love of his life, Carol Lesley. First bonding over their love of shagging at Fat Harold’s Beach Club in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Lee and Carol spent the next 22 years together dancing, golfing, and — after achieving their scuba diving certifications — exploring the world’s oceans together in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Fiji, and Bora Bora, just to name a few.
Lee is survived by Carol; Andy and his wife Miranda, Kristin and her partner Dorothy; stepchildren, Jenny and her husband David Earnhardt and Megan and her husband Brian Legassie; and grandchildren, Halle, Rachel, Sophie, Alyssa, Anna and Jordan.
Known affectionately as “E” to his grandchildren, he shared years of laughter, wisdom, and adventures with his family. Generous with his time, knowledge, humor, and heart, Lee was a teacher to those around him — from teaching his children baseball/softball and golf, to lifelong skills such as sportsmanship, work ethic, and leadership.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16, at First Presbyterian Church in Hamlet (200 Rice Street). The family will receive friends at a reception immediately following the service in the church fellowship hall.
To continue Lee’s legacy of service, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the H. Lee White Pharmacy Scholarship, a need-based scholarship program he founded to support pharmacy students from the state of North Carolina.
Gifts may be made online at https://go.unc.edu/LeeWhite
Checks made payable to UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Foundation may be mailed to: 194 Finley Golf Course Road, Suite 106, Chapel Hill, NC 27517. Please note “White Scholarship” in the memo line or in a note accompanying the check.
Online condolences may be made at watson-kingfuneralhome.com. Watson-King Funeral Home in Hamlet is serving the White family.
