Houston Douglas White

Houston Douglas White, 83, of Tampa, Florida, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 5, 2026, surrounded by his family. Born in Greenville, South Carolina, and raised in South Norfolk, Virginia, Houston called Tampa home for the last 47 years, and wherever Houston was, that's where home felt like it was for everyone around him.

He was the kind of man who walked into a room and immediately made it warmer. Funny, upbeat, and quietly sentimental in equal measure, Houston had a gift for putting people at ease that never faded with age. He didn't just love people; he made people feel loved. The list of family and friends he leaves behind cannot be contained in the space this obituary provides, and he would have gotten a kick out of that.

Houston's life was defined by three things he held above all else: his family, his military service, and his Masonic brotherhood.

He married the love of his life, Cheryl, on June 26, 1971, and built everything that mattered around her. Together they raised two children, and he became the kind of father and grandfather whose presence was a fixture, whose humor was legendary, and whose love was never in question.

A proud patriot, Houston answered his country's call as a young man, serving as a paratrooper in C Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment of the legendary 101st Airborne Division, the Screaming Eagles. He earned his Honorable Discharge on July 31, 1964, having served on active duty from 1961, and continued his service in the Army Reserve until 1967. He wore that service quietly and carried it always.

Houston was a devoted Freemason and active member of the Masonic Lodge for over four decades, having served as Worshipful Master of several Tampa-area lodges. He held the distinguished title of Right Worshipful Houston White, an honor befitting a man whose character and integrity were never once in doubt.

Houston is survived by his beloved wife, Cheryl White of Tampa; his daughter, Kelley Allen; his son, Doug White; his son in law, Greg Allen; daughter in law, Michelle White; his grandchildren, Riley, Peyton, Emily, and Houston; his sisters, Ann Myers and Patricia Piland; his sisters-in-law, Marie White, widow of R.F. "Nick" White, and Peggy White, widow of James F. White. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert F. White; his mother, Emily White; and his brothers, R.F. "Nick" White and James F. White.

A memorial service with full Masonic funeral rites and military honors will be held on Monday, June 22, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Blount & Curry Funeral Home, West Hillsborough Chapel, 6802 Silvermill Drive, Tampa, FL 33635.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Houston's name to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation — an organization supporting the families of fallen first responders and veterans — at http://dogood.t2t.org/give/320847.

"We'll meet again."