Nathan White

Nathan Allen White, born April 4th, 1957, Mishawaka, IN , departed March 30, 2016, Lebanon, TNNathan Allen White was born to Nathan Eugene (deceased August 1992) & Janet Gail (Peters) White on April 4th, 1957 in Mishawaka,, IN. He was the 2nd of 3 children. He passed away after a 5 plus year battle with ALS on March 30, 2016 In Lebanon, TN.He was artistically, as well as musically, inclined. He was blessed with a talent for drawing & music. He quickly learned to play any instrument that caught his attention. He started out with drums at the age of 7. He then picked up & became an accomplished guitarist. As a child, he played drums, guitar, & sang with his family, the Singing White Family in the late 60’s to early 70’s.Nathan Allen loved hanging out with his buddies from Normain Heights in Mishawaka, IN. The same buddies that helped him so much during his ALS fight. He also loved the outdoors. When he wasn’t playing music, he was outside fishing, boating, camping, or just sitting & enjoying mother nature.He worked for US Steel Corporation in Eveleth, Minnesota in the early 80’s. Then he moved to East Tennessee & built an impressive resume in construction, cabinet & furniture making, as well as flooring. He left the workforce in 2012 when ALS made it impossible for him to fulfill his duties. Also, in the early 80’s, while in East Tennessee, he met & married Tammy Grindstaff. On December 23, 1986, the real love of his life arrived, when his beloved daughter, Jamie Leigh was born. After he & Tammy divorced, Jamie became his entire world – to say that he doted on her was an understatement. He loved being a Dad to Jamie more that anything & particularly loved spoiling her. Unfortunately, that all came to a tragic end, on January 8, 1998, when Jamie was taken from us way too soon in a flash flood. He never recovered from loosing her. In the early 2000’s he met Guy Gentry, who introduced him to his flooring career. He then moved to Gray, TN where he stayed until he was diagnosed with ALS.Nathan Allen was formally diagnosed in April 2013, although, symptoms appeared as early as 2010. He moved back to Mishawaka in September 2013 to spend time with his childhood buddies. They made many happy memories before his disease progressed & he returned to Tennessee in October of 2015. Numerous family members & friends came to visit him upon his return. Many thanks to his close friends in Mishawaka, the staff of the Center for Hospice Care-Hospice House in South Bend, IN, Alive Hospice in Nashville, & the numerous friends & family members for their prayers, support, & visits during his illness.He is survived by his Mother, Janet Gail White, sisters Joy Lynn White & Wanda White Knight, niece Brandy Patterson Tucker, great-niece Faith Leigh Tucker, numerous Aunts, Uncles, cousins, & close friends. He fought ALS with determination, courage, & a sense of humor. He was an inspiration to the hospice staff that cared for him, his friends, & family. Rest in peace, Nathan Allen – you fought a brave & courageous battle. You will be missed.A Memorial service is planned in his honor for 2:00 PM, April 23rd at the Scarritt-Bennett Center, (International Room),1008 19th Ave., South, Nashville, TN 37212. Scarrit-Bennett is owned & operated by the United Methodist Ladies Association located close to the Vanderbilt Campus. Visit www.scarrittbennett.org for more information.Nathan Allen was adamant about doing anything he could to help with ALS research to find the cause & the cure for this disease. Therefore, in lieu of flowers please make donations in his name using the YouCaring donation link. We all thank you in advance. https://www.youcaring.com/als-association-research-support-551303