David Elswood White

David Elswood White, our husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle of West Bountiful, Utah passed away unexpectedly on Friday, December 15, 2023, at the age of 69, as a result of a heart attack. At the time of his passing, he had been battling colon cancer for the last 18 months. He leaves behind a legacy and we know he is joyfully reuniting with family and friends on the other side of the veil. 

David was born in Norfolk, Virginia on May 18, 1954, to Elswood Roy White Jr. and Rose Phelps White. He was the oldest of his siblings, Karen Walker, Michael White, and Mark White. He grew up in the Outer Banks of North Carolina in Kill Devil Hills. He graduated from Manteo High School.  He loved the Outer Banks and spent hours fishing in the Albemarle Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. 

Growing up he loved working side by side with his dad who taught him many trades. In his late teenage and early adult years he worked as a finishing contractor and later owned David E. White Electric Company in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. He found great satisfaction “roping houses” (wiring).

In 1975 he met and married Shirley Huggins White and had three children, April Michelle, Edward Roy, and Brian David. 

In 1981 he left his beloved Outer Banks and moved his family to West Bountiful, Utah where he resided for the past 43 years.  While there, with the help of Shirley and his children, he built his family a beautiful home.   He and his family traveled regularly ‘out east’, as he would say, and in recent years he fulfilled one of his dreams of returning to the Outer Banks through purchasing a second home. Home to him was always the Outer Banks.

He was a man of many talents and fulfilled many of his life’s dreams. He was a master electrician, requiring hours of study, testing, and experience. While in Utah he worked at several electrical companies where his skills were put to use.  He cofounded a local restaurant, Seafood Safari, where he paired his love of fishing and eating. His family has many fond memories of working together in the restaurant after school.

He later founded Dakota Enterprises where he was a sole owner and general contractor building residential homes. Of all his business endeavors, his most fulfilling was founding WB Electric Company and working side by side with his children. All three of his children work(ed) in the business, a lifelong dream of David’s.  He was happiest when working with his family. 

His life’s loves were working, fishing, gardening, and eating out.  He spent many hours on Utah lakes fishing from his boat named “Sparky”.  He always planted a vegetable garden and shared his harvest with family and neighbors.  The quickest way to his heart was inviting him to eat out at a restaurant - breakfast was his favorite.   On most Saturday mornings, he would wake his family early to join him for breakfast followed by working together at home or in the yard. 

David is preceded in death by his parents, brother Mark, and son Roy.  He is survived by his wife Shirley, daughter April (Ryan) Bingham, son Brian (Shellie) and nine grandchildren who lovingly call him GrandDave: Payton, Abby and Ashlyn Bingham, Tayvin and Brynley White, Emily, Travis, Miles, and Crew White. 

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at Russon Mortuary, 295 North Main Street, Bountiful, Utah where a viewing will be held on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. and on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, from 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.  Interment at the Bountiful City Cemetery in Bountiful, Utah.

Services will be streamed live on Russon Brothers Mortuary Facebook page and this obituary page approximately 15 minutes prior to the service.

Link for video of family memories of David:  https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5pl3rrm7163mv33kr9yyn/In-Memory-of-David-E-White-online-HD-720p.mov?rlkey=7ix1cgccvoce9vsvz1a2xx9mm&dl=0