Obituary of Frank Lloyd White, Jr.

Age 84, passed away at his home on Wednesday, June 21, 2023.  Frank was born and raised in Elmira, the son of F. Lloyd White, Sr., and Marion G. White (Krause).  

Frank is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Paula Ann White-Arcovio and Anthony Arcovio, of Elmira; daughter Marcia Wheaton (Dan Whitmer) of Georgia; grandchildren, Erika Wheaton, Cody Whitmer, Nicole Whitmer, Jake Whitmer; great-grandchild Reina Allwood; and sister Carol Lynn Clark of Elmira.

Frank attended Hendy Avenue Elementary School in West Elmira and graduated from EFA in 1957.  He attended Hobart College, briefly, before entering the US Army in 1959.  He served overseas tours during his 20-year military career in Ethiopia, Vietnam, and Germany.  Frank served 2 combat tours in Vietnam during which he was awarded 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses.  They are among the top military awards for bravery.

Frank graduated from Officer Training School at Fort Sill, OK, in 1965.  He then attended US Army Flight Training at Fort Stewart, GA, and Fort Rucker, AL, in 1966.  In 1970 he was awarded the Master Aviation Badge. Frank also attended the FAA-approved Control Tower Operators course at Fort Rucker and served as the ATC OIC for all of RVN in 1972, in addition to his flying duties at the US ARV Headquarters in Saigon. During 5 tours at Fort Rucker, as both a Fixed-wing and a Helicopter Flight Instructor, Frank was awarded the Fort Rucker Outstanding Instructor Award of the Quarter in 1970.  He amassed just over 10,000 flight hours of which roughly 8,000 were as a flight instructor.

Frank attended college-level night courses for 10 years at various military bases including courses at a USAF base in Vietnam until he accumulated enough credits to finish his college education under the US Army Bootstrap Program. Frank graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1969 earning a Bachelor’s Degree Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA. 

Upon Frank’s retirement from the US Army in 1981, he was employed by LSI as a contract civilian Flight Instructor at Fort Rucker, training USAF and Foreign Military pilots until his final retirement in 2007.

Frank returned to his hometown, Elmira, NY, in 2009 to spend his remaining years with his family and close friends.  Frank touched many lives all over the world and was a true inspiration to his fellow colleagues, students, and peers.  He always had his family’s best interest at heart regardless of the matter.  Frank will truly be missed.

Family and friends are invited to McInerny Funeral Home, 502 W. Water Street, Elmira, on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.  A funeral service will follow at 3:00 p.m.  Military honors will be accorded outside of the funeral home at the conclusion of the funeral service.  Private interment will take place in Maple Grove Cemetery, Friendship NY.