Jacob William White, II

Jacob William “Billy” White II

 

January 18, 1935 – October 3, 2026

 

Jacob William “Billy” White II passed away at his residence in Jennings on October 3, 2026 at the age of 91.  He was preceded in death by his first wife of 52 years, Julie Brunt White (2008) and survived by his second wife of 11 years, Cecilia Arnaudet White, sharing a special bond with both.

 

A longtime resident of Acadiana, born in Crowley, Billy grew up on Cary Avenue in Jennings, the son of Louis Joseph White and Annie Spalding Fowler White.  He is survived by his only sibling and older sister, Mary Ann White Cox (94).  Billy was a graduate of the 1953 class of Jennings High School, nicknamed “Bruiser,” and helped Jennings win sixteen straight games between 1950 and 1953 as fullback and linebacker, later attending Louisiana State University for a short time including membership in the Kappa Sigma fraternity and ROTC.

 

Billy and Julie raised their young family in Jennings and later Iota.  He is survived by his five children and their spouses:  Stephen Louis White and Lila Kane White, Constance White Humble and Randall Brian Humble, Kathleen White LeJeune and Roderick Jules LeJeune, Christopher Michael White and Tammy Manuel White, Jacob William “Jake” White III and Melanie Bousegard White. 

 

Billy was lovingly known as “Paw Paw” to his seven grandchildren:  Hannah LeJeune Gettys, Jonathan Blake Humble, Meagan White Patin, Tierney LeJeune Aguillard, Julie LeJeune Thibodeaux, Stewart Wynn Humble, and William Roderick LeJeune.  He is survived by 12 great-grandchildren.  He compassionately served as a mentor and role model to all.

 

He is also survived by his loving niece and her spouse, Colleen Cox Estes and Stephen Clayton Estes, his Nephew Jack Duncan Cox, Jr, and was preceded in death by his niece Catherine Elizabeth Cox.

 

Billy was a Renaissance man in the truest sense, spending most of his life proving that strength and delicacy belong in the same pair of hands.  It usually started with a handshake—teaching many of us to take a man’s hand and shake it properly. Those hands taught themselves to coil pine needles into baskets worthy of a museum, hammered old silver into rings and bracelets for anyone who admired them, and set down a poem beside a drawing of flowers.  Later in life he turned a camera onto the wild, nature-filled places he loved to visit.  He won some ventures—lost others—yet carried himself with the same poise either way.  He never stopped learning, and he never met a room he couldn’t make extraordinary.

 

A Memorial and Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. with a service starting at 11:00 a.m. hosted by Miguez Funeral Home in Jennings.

 

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the Acadiana Humane Society, The Zigler Museum in Jennings, or the Ladies Leukemia League of New Orleans.

 

Billy White lived without excuse and loved without being asked; the world was better for his care, and Heaven is surely better for his company.