Gerald "Garry" D. White, 79, of Mendota died April 27, 2017 in OSF St. Anthony Medical Center, Rockford.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in First United Methodist Church, Mendota with the Rev. Kent Svendsen officiating. Burial will be at Restland Cemetery, Mendota with military rites by VFW Post 4079. The visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Monday in the church. Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota is handling the arrangements.

Garry was born Dec. 22, 1937, in Reedsburg, WI., to Everett and Bessie (Underhill) White. He married Karen Wolkow on May 21, 1960 in Reedsburg.

He graduated from Reedsburg High School in 1955 and served with the U.S. Navy from 1955-58 in the Seabees. He was a member of First United Methodist Church. In the late 1960s and early '70s he was a Cub Scout leader. He was a past president of Mendota Chamber of Commerce. Garry bought the Coast to Coast Store, Mendota in 1979 and was a district manager for Coast to Coast for several years and also a paint representative for Valspar. He built the present store located on Main Street in 1989 which later became the True Value store. Garry was on the board of directors for both Coast to Coast and True Value. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and boating in his spare time. He was also an avid Green Bay Packers fan.

He is survived by his wife, Karen of Mendota; two sons, Scott (Marina) White and Richard "Rick" (Tamara Abbey) White; one grandson, Alex G. White; two stepgrandchildren, Jeremy (Ahila Livingston) Creamen and Ashley Jobson; five stepgreat-grandchildren; three brothers, Everett (Darlene) White, Dale (Rose) White and David (Kris) White; two sisters, Carolyn (Don) Labansky and Joanne White; also numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded by his parents, two brothers, Robert and Kenneth and a sister, Joyce.

Memorials may be directed to the First United Methodist Church or the donor's choice.