Funeral services for Larry "Mike" White will be 11 a.m. Thursday, September 17, 2026 at Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) in Butler, Missouri. Visitation prior to services 10 - 11 a.m. Thursday at the Schowengerdt Chapel. Burial in Oak Hill Cemetery, Butler. Contributions to the VFW of your choice. Online condolences www.schowengerdtchapel.com.
Lawrence Michael White, age 76 of Conroe, Texas passed away on Sunday, September 6, 2026 while in hospice care for cancer in Conroe. Larry was born on July 4, 1950–sharing the same day with his grandfather 72 years later.
Larry was the second of two sons born to Lawrence Clayton Gragg and Kathryn B. Gragg. Lawrence passed away in July 1951. Kathryn married Walter Clifton Gragg (brother of Lawrence) who was in the Marines and family then moved to San Diego in April 1952. They later divorced and the family moved back to Kansas City. In November of 1953, Kathryn married Robert H. White, who was in the Navy, and moved to Bremerton, Washington. A sister, Deborah Lynn, was born February 1955. In September 1956, Robert was reassigned to Guam, Mariana Island. Kathryn and children then moved to Kansas City, Missouri. In February 1957 the family moved to Guam to join Robert. In August 1958 Robert fell ill and the family was evacuated to Oakland, California, where he was discharged from the Navy. The family then returned to Kansas City where they remained until Larry (Lawrence) join the Army in May 1968. He served two tours in Vietnam and one tour in Korea and was discharged.
Larry was married June 1976 into this union two children (Christopher and Alyssa) were born. He had completed training to be an aircraft mechanic and was working with heavy equipment when he sustained a life-altering back injury. He had back surgery returned to work, but was laid off. The family then moved to Texas where Larry began work as a mechanic in the oil industry; including work on the oil platforms in the Gulf. The back injury later became significant and he was applied for 100% disability in Texas, unsuccessfully. He moved back to Butler and lived with his mother, after a year, was able to get disability. He then returned to Texas.
Larry was an avid history buff; really enjoyed talking with his brother (Rodney) and niece (Kelly) about anything Sci-Fi related. He loved sailing and would take his sailboat out as often as he could before he wasn't physically able to. He had an avid interest in the stock market and enjoyed trading penny stocks.
Larry is survived by a son, Christopher, of Conroe, Texas; one brother, Rodney and wife, Cheryl, Butler, Missouri; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceeded in death by his paternal grandparents, Lawrence Clayton (1878 -1925) and Mary Emma (Davis) Gragg; maternal grandparents, John and Minnie Critcher; father, Lawrence Clayton Gragg (1925–1951); stepfather, Walter Clifton Gragg (1915–1981); stepfather, Robert H. White (1923 – 1988); mother, Kathryn B. White (1925–2006); sister, Debbie Humphrey (1955–2020); and daughter, Alyssa Fielder (1980–2007).
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