Lavanda Lee White

Lavanda Lee White escaped the bonds of earth to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Monday, January 13, 2023.  He was born in Pahokee, Florida to father Roy Lee White and mother Margaret Hogan Wilkerson on January 12, 1948.  He was predeceased by his parents, his son William Jacob White, his wife Brenda Taylor White, and his brother Leroy White .  “Vanny’ is survived by his sisters Peggy Fort of Ft. Myers, FL., Frances Bloom, of West Palm Beach, Fl., Janice Ann Petersen (William) of Havana, Fl., Mary Iona Blount of Keenansville, Fl, Brenda Carol Sullivan (Grady) of Venus, Fl , a daughter Dana Kaye Milillo (Tony) of Mohawk, Tn. and grandchildren Justin Michael Hicks and Jessica Lynn Hicks, son Leavy Adam White (Kristin) of Phenix City, Al., and son Kevin Edward White of Duenweg, Mo. and granddaughter Shae Elise White and step-daughter Marshanne Brinkerhoff of Okeechobee, Fl. and eight nieces and nephews.
Vanny grew up for the most part in Moore Haven, Fl where he graduated from high school.  He would later live in Ft. Myers, Fl, Beaufort, N.C., Lake Placid, Fl., and finally in Tallahassee and Havana, Fl.  Sgt. White enlisted in the U.S. Army on December 14, 1967 and served with honor and was awarded the Purple Heart and 3 bronze stars, the Combat Infantry badge and Bronze Star for valor with oak leaf cluster.  He was severely wounded by an underwater mine in the Mekong Delta after only about 3 months in Vietnam and placed on permanent disability on January 30, 1969.  He was told he likely would not live more than 10 years.  In his later years he liked to say he was a lean mean fighting machine.
Vanny always loved animals and got his nickname “Coon” because he brought home a female raccoon that was named Debbie.  Growing up they also had a pet pig named Samantha and numerous dogs.  He also liked to feed gators that lived in a canal behind his home in Moore Haven.  He had to be asked to stop so they would not get aggressive.  At the time when he had to be cared for due to dementia he had two dogs that he took on long walks daily.  He thought nothing about going for very long walks.  While living in Lake Placid he would often go to Sebring and back 20 miles each way on a single day.
While under care for dementia he would often say I’ll give you a hundred dollars to take me home.  That amount sometimes rose to a thousand dollars.  He was a master of escape even though he seldom spoke due to his dementia.  He escaped multiple times from two different ‘secure’ facilities.  His last two years he lived under the care of his sister Janice.  He has now gone to his final home with the Lord.  Vanny regularly walked to church and said the Holy Spirit had given him this message or that.