William "Bill" Dale White Sr,

Bill White, 94 of Rootstown, Ohio, passed away on Friday, December 2, 2022, at University Hospitals Portage Medical Center in Ravenna, Ohio.  He was born February 6,1928, to the late Clive & Ruth (Farver) White. He joined the Navy in 1945 and was a Carpenter 1st Mate.

He is survived by his dedicated & loving wife, Eddye Renee (Kirchenbauer) White of 29 years.  He has three sons, Stan (Patty), Jesse (Ann) & Bill Jr. (Sheryl).  He also is survived by nine grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren; sister, Patti Heller Andrews; brother, Kenneth Heller and many nieces and nephews.  He is also survived by many employees over his lifetime but two in particular, Barb Losh & Dave Schwallie whom he felt like they were his daughter & son & best friends from the time they both started to work for him.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Jim White & Albert Warner Brown and great grandson, Tyler John “TJ” White. 

Bill loved baseball and softball.  His son, Stan remembers going to almost every game with him and being hit ground balls and fly balls over and over again.  Leroy Peoples and Josh Brown were some of his teammates.  Stan also remembers his dad coaching Davey Tree G-League team to the Portage County Championship and going up to Cleveland to see his bowling sponsor, Dean Chance, pitch against the Cleveland Indians. 

Bill started in bowling by setting pins at 13 years old.  Bowling came easy for him and at age 14 & 15 he bowled 20 game matches against adult bowlers and only ever lost one. Bowling became a major part of his life in the 1950s and he had the honor to bowl on the Ace Mitchell team captained by PBA & ABC Hall of Famer Dick Hoover. Bill was the 1st bowler in Portage County to average 200 and the 1st to average 220 (1959).  He was a member of two Ohio state match game team champions and won the Singles State Match game in 1963, beating Bill Beach (PBA & ABC Hall of Famer) in the 40th game. Bill was the Ohio State Match Game runner-up twice.  He won the Beacon Journal Classic and was the Beacon Journal Bowler of the Year 5 times.  For 9 consecutive years he won the Akron US Open Eliminator tournament.  He won the district match games 9 consecutive years also.  Bill Bowled in 8 Professional tournaments (PBA) in the 1960s and made the top 24 four times, top finish 8th place.

In 1961 Bill took over the Pro Shop at then Kent Midway Lanes.  In 1965 he was hired as the manager of the lanes (which had a full-service restaurant also).  In 1969 he and Don Laubert purchased Sky Lanes in Garrettsville and in 1972 purchased Kent Midway Lanes and renamed it Twin Star Lanes.  Bill also owned Akron Lanes, Harbor Lanes in Port Clinton and Eastern Lanes in Toledo.

Bill was inducted to 6 Hall of Fames: Ohio State Bowling, Tri-County Bowling, Portage County Bowling, Portage County All-Sports, Summit County All-Sports and Summit County Baseball. He is also an honorary member of the Kent State Athletic Hall of Fame.

Bill was an amazing person.  He never knew a stranger.  He opened the doors of all his bowling centers to so many people for over 60 years.   He was a member of many organizations locally & nationally.  He served on the UH Portage Medical Center Foundation Board for nine years.  He also was a board member of many Bowling Hall of Fame's in the Portage & the Tri County areas.   He was very proud of his employees and made sure that they knew it!  He always shook everyones hand and greeted them with a big smile.  He was very proud of his children, grandchildren & great grandchildren.  He talked to everyone who crossed his path about each of them.  Bill loved chocolate ice cream, cheeseburgers & chocolate milk shakes.  He carried many cheerios in his pockets of his pants & sweaters for his beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.  There has been six of them over the many years and three have left him.  Buckeye, Jessie & Candy, who was born on his birth date 2-6-2008.  He had a zest for life & fought to the bittersweet end.  He was a believer of Jesus Christ and is now in His arms whole & healed, free from pain.  He will surely be missed by many!

In lieu of flowers please, make a donation to his favorite charities: The Portage Foundation of Portage County, www.portagefoundation.org or by mail at P.O. Box 623, Kent, Ohio, 44240. This is a charity that sponsors senior high school bowling scholarships to senior bowlers that will go on to college.  It sponsors eight students in Portage County high schools.  Or to the UH Portage Medical Center Foundation to help support heart & vascular health care services to the community of Portage County, 6847 North Chestnut Street, Ravenna, Ohio 44266.  Please also support the Kent Social Services hot meal & food program & food pantry.  Checks can be sent to Kent Social Services, 1066 South Water Street, Kent, Ohio 44240 or to Kent State Athletics, Attn: Maggie McKendry, Associate Athletic Director. Kent State University Athletics Foundation, 1025 Risman Drive, Kent, Ohio 44240.

Calling hours will be Friday, December 9, 2022 from 5:00-8:00PM at Kent Roosevelt High School Auditorium, 1400 N. Mantua St. Kent, OH 44240 and on Saturday, December 10, 2022 from 10:00-11:00AM followed by a service at 11:00AM in the Auditorium, which can be viewed via Livestream on the Bissler and Sons Funeral Home Facebook page.  Burial will follow at Standing Rock Cemetery.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.