Jack White 1927-2012

Very sad to hear this. Jack was a great guy; super. I vividly remember 11/22/97, Dallas, TX: Jack drove me around Dealey Plaza and surrounding areas, giving me an impromptu tour, as it were. He was always nice, online and in person. He will live on in our memories, in countless books he was quoted in, conference videos, and The Men Who Killed Kennedy series. RIP my friend
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[As Joe Backes sadly reported:]
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.