Dr. Amos White Jr

Dr. Amos Jesse James White, Jr. went home to be with the Lord on July 27, 2015. He was born in Portsmouth, Ohio in 1934, the eldest of 12 children, to Amos Jesse James, Sr. and Ira Mae Baggett White. He graduated from Portsmouth High School and attended Capital University where he majored in music education with a major in French horn and trumpet. At Capital he was a member of the orchestra and also participated in sports. He served in the US army for 2 years after which he returned to Columbus and worked at Poindexter Recreation Center. He married Janice Gray in Cleveland on September 1, 1962 and taught in elementary schools in Cleveland and in Columbus. He received his MA in Education Administration from Xavier University and was Assistant Principal at Mohawk Jr. /Sr. High School and Principal at Franklin and Indianola Jr. High Schools. Amos received his Ph.D. from OSU in Curriculum, Instruction and Urban Education in1978. He then served for 13 years as Director of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. After retirement, he served as a Consultant for Curriculum for the Higher Ground Charter School and at the request of the Superintendent, he served as a Consultant to the Portsmouth City Schools. During this time, Amos organized and participated in a mentoring program for boys at West High School in Columbus. He served on many boards and committees in the community including: Community Arts Project, Chair (precursor to MLK Center Board), ECCO Family Health Center Chair; Columbus Literacy Council, Bexley Youth Athletic Association, Martin Luther King Holiday Observance Committee (precursor to MLK Breakfast), Columbus Black Administrators Association, Co-Organizer and Defiance College, Trustee. Amos was a 50 year member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Rho Lambda Chapter where he served in many ways including as President and Director of Education. He was instrumental in establishing the Alpha Rho Lambda Education Foundation. Amos was also a 50 year member of the First Congregational Church, UCC where he also served in many ways including: Chancel Choir, Deacon, and Board of Trustees, Chairman and as Moderator. Beyond his local church, Amos served on many committees of the Central Southeast Ohio Association most recently as Chairman of the Church and Ministry and the Personnel committees and at the state level, he was elected Moderator in 1986. At the national level, Amos was a member of the United Church Board for World Ministries where he later was elected Chairman of its Board of Directors. Amos received many honors and awards which included Friends of Literacy, Champion of Urban Health, Defiance College Trustee Emeritus, Alpha Rho Lambda President’s Award and the Theodore M. Berry Award (2008) and , along with his wife, the first First Congregational Church Lay Leadership Award (2008). Amos was a man of faith who was strong and kind, intelligent and humble, loving and loved. He directed and empowered his faith and his life by doing to others as he would have them do to him and by what does the Lord require of him but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with his God. Amos was predeceased by his parents, his brothers Phillip and Albert and his sisters Sandra Kay Lattimore and Cathalee Borders. Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 52 years, Janice, a daughter, Janine White, two sons Amos (Giorgia) and David (Elynor) 7 grand children and 2 great grandchildren, brothers Carl, Gerald, Ralph and Daniel and sisters Ellen Davis, Georgeann Hill-Ali and Henrietta (Ronald) Hoard, and a host of nieces, nephews and friends. Memorial Service 12noon Tuesday, September 1, 2015 at First Congregational Church, UCC, 444 E. Broad St where the family will receive friends from 11 am until time of service. Contributions can be made to Alpha Rho Lambda Education Foundation Inc. P.O. Box 15444 Columbus, 43215 or to the Concert Fund at First Congregational Church.