Stanley L. White

At the age of twenty-three years in the middle 40's Stanley L. White accepted Christ as his Savior during a revival meeting conducted at the Hillcrest Baptist Church. He surrendered to the ministry one year later. He preached at various churches as a supply minister in and around Carlsbad, New Mexico for several years. He also worked at the P.C.A. mine during that time and attended night high school to earn a high school diploma. At the age of twenty-eight years, Stanley quit his job at the mine and went to Phoenix, Arizona to study for the ministry. After attending Grand Canyon College for a year, Stanley returned to Portales to attend Eastern New Mexico University. He attended Eastern New Mexico University for six years earning a Bachelor of Art's Degree with a major in Religion and Social Studies and a minor in Speech, Government, and Psychology and earning a teacher's certificate as well. During the time spent at Eastern, he also pastored churches in and around Portales and Clovis, New Mexico. After graduating from Eastern New Mexico University, Stanley moved his family to Dublin, Texas where he pastored a little Baptist Church in Alexander, Texas eight miles out of Dublin. During this time he commuted to the Southern Baptist Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas for two semesters. At the end of the second semester at the seminary, Stanley was offered a teaching position in the English department of Dublin High School. Along with his teaching, he continued to pastor the Baptist church at Alexander. At the end of three years, he was offered a teaching position in Carlsbad, New Mexico. He taught Special Education for twenty-seven years. He taught one year at Eisenhower Jr. High, fourteen years at Alta Vista Jr. High, acting Principal at the C.A.R.C. classroom for seven years, and three years teaching at the Senior High. He retired from teaching in 1986 at the age of sixty-five. During his teaching and preaching careers while in Carlsbad, he found time to attend Eastern New Mexico in the summers and earn a Master's Degree in Education with emphasis on Special Education as well as taking a number of additional courses in education and ministry. During his time of teaching Special Education, he developed a special relationship with his students. To help them develop their life skills, he took them hiking, to the caverns, football games and to church. Many of them were accepted the Lord during this time. Several have gone on and he is now with his special friends. Stanley also served thirty-two years on the Board of Directors of the C.A.R.C. farm. After retiring from teaching, he drove a school bus full time for Ballard Bus Company. After retiring from that job, he substituted for a few years. In addition to his teaching in the Carlsbad Public Schools, Stanley pastored El Paso Gap, Cavern Baptist, Happy Valley Baptist, Garden Street Baptist and Standpipe Baptist Church. Stanley continued to preach whenever and wherever he was needed. On December 2, 1941, he married Ellen Verdie Sanders of Fewell, Oklahoma. From this union three children were born, Betty, Carolyn, and Ronnie. Ellen passed away January 26, 1993. Stanley married Ouida L. Lawson November 27, 1993. He is survived by his wife, Ouida White; daughter, Carolyn White Fowler of Las Cruces; son, S. Ronnie White of Phoenix, AZ; four grandchildren, Jessica Madrid, Vinny White, Scotty Fowler and Mindy Fowler and one great grandchild, Kayleanna Madrid. Stanley's family also includes a step-son, Tommy Lawson and wife Betty of Carlsbad, NM and a step-daughter, Leta Wilson and husband Leland of Ft. Worth, TX; seven step- grandchildren, nineteen step great grandchildren and eleven step great great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Ellen White and daughter, Betty White. Visitation will be 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Sunday, October 14, 2012 at Denton-Wood Funeral Home. Funeral services are scheduled for Monday, October 15, 2012, 11:00 AM, at First Baptist Church with Pastor Randy Land officiating. Interment will follow in Carlsbad Cemetery, Carlsbad, New Mexico. Denton-Wood Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to C.A.R.C., Inc., 902 West Cherry Lane, Carlsbad, NM 88220 or Landsun Homes Caring Hands, 2002 Westridge Road, Carlsbad, NM 88220. Pallbearers will be Leland Wilson, Mike Rogers, Carroll Caudill, II, Josh Arp, Larry Trower, Josh McPherson, and Chris Caudill. Honorary pallbearers are Adult 8 Sunday School Class.