Lester White, 97

Lester Albert Lee White, 97, was born on April 14, 1926, in Whitefish, to Charles and Ella (Kriegel) White. He passed away peacefully with family at his side on Oct. 7, 2023, in Silverdale, Washington.

Les graduated from Whitefish High School in 1944 and immediately enlisted in the US Navy joining in the World War II war effort. After basic training, he was stationed on the SS Rendova in the Aleutian Islands as an aerographer’s mate. Following the end of the war and discharge from the Navy in 1946, he married Dorothea Vervoort in Whitefish. The couple first moved to Bozeman, where Les graduated from Montana State College (later University). They then moved to Portland, Oregon, where Les graduated from the University of Oregon dental school (now Oregon Health and Sciences University) with a degree in dentistry in 1953. During dental school, Les forged lifelong friendships with his classmates, many of whom were vets who had also served during the War.

Following Les’ graduation, the couple moved to Kalispell, where Les set up a private dental practice practicing for 44 years. In addition to his private practice, he volunteered free dental care one day a month for many years to members of the Blackfeet Nation at the tribe’s clinic in Browning. Every Sunday when Mom took us kids to church, Dad went to “his” church on the Flathead River, fly rod in hand. He was an avid outdoorsman enjoying many happy years fly fishing in summer, ice fishing in winter, hunting and hiking and enjoyed spending weekends at the family cabin at Little Bitterroot Lake. Following Dorothea’s sudden death in 1969, Les married Marilyn Sitton. After Marilyn’s death in 2010, Les relocated to Poulsbo, Washington, to be closer to family. He lived independently until a brief hospitalization before his death.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Ruth; wives, Dorothea and Marilyn; and one son, Tony Pang.  

He is survived by his children, Leslie Hopkins (Dan), Stephen (Glaura) and Carolyn (Woody); and his daughter-in-law, Doris Pang; grandchildren, Aaron Wiegand; and Calvin, Derek and Ethan Pang; Hannah and Elena Hopkins; and great-grandchildren, Elle and Ada. 

A private service for family was held earlier.