Obituaries | Grand Junction Daily Sentinel

Ed White

February 23rd, 1946 - January 20th, 2026

Memoriams/Legacy

January 20, 2026 Just shy of his 80th birthday, Ed passed. Ed was born on February 23, 1946 in Farmington, NM. His given name was Ralph Eddie White. He was the son of Earl White and Doris Bullock White. After his birth, his family moved to western Colorado. His Dad was a spud farmer and his Mom took care of the house. During those early years, they lived in Ekert, on Rogers Mesa, Lazare, Cedaredge, Delta and Olathe. When Ed was in the third grade his parents bought the Redland Store in Grand Junction, Colorado. Ed graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1954. He served in the Colorado National Guard from 1963-1969, attaining the rank of 2nd Lt. He went to Mesa Junior College. His group of friends from grade school, Tom Gummere, Claron McDaniel, Kim Clark and Ron Hawkins stayed friends until some of them passed. You could tell how long someone had known Ed, as those from the GJ days always called him Eddie. Those in the later half of his life called him Ed. When he was a senior in high school, he was at the downtown Grand Junction Library and saw this young girl. He asked the person he was with, "Who is that girl?" The friend responded that, "That is Jerry Land." He knew when he saw her that they were destined to be together. Unknown to him, Jerry used to peruse her older sister's high school annuals and she remembered the names of guys she thought were cute and Ed was one of those guys. In the summer of 1965, they were both in Glade Park at the Pot Holes with other people and began talking. That was the beginning of a relationship that has lasted from that day to present time. Jerry and Ed married at the Redlands Community Church on Aug. 31, 1967. In 1968, they had their son Sean in Grand Junction. In 1970, their daughter Shannon was born in Dickinson, ND. He began a career with the FW Woolworth company in the winter of 1968. He worked for Woolworth's and he and Jerry moved from Grand Junction, to Colorado Springs, to Dickinson, ND, Minot, ND, Denver and then to Alamosa. He left Woolworth's in 1977. He then worked for the San Luis Valley HMO. In 1978, they moved back to Grand Junction where Ed worked for his brother, George, at Arrow Glass Company, until 1984. He then went to work for Oldach Wood Windows out of Colorado Springs. In the summer of 1985, it was decided to start an Oldach plant in Albuquerque, NM. When Oldach sold in the spring of 1987, Ed went to work with Hap Crawford and Cindy Mauchly at Santa Fe Door Store Inc. He became a partner with Cindy and then in 2003, Ed bought Cindy's shares of Santa Fe Door. Jerry joined the company in 2008. They sold the company on September 30, 2021 and retired. They additionally owned Enterprise Americas Inc. which was also sold at the same time. During their marriage, Ed and Jerry traveled overseas many times to see her English family, The Maxim's, in greater London and Ireland. Max and Elaine Maxim were their travel companions in both the US and in Europe. Ed was the Godfather to Kristy Maxim, daughter of Mick and Alison Maxim in Clogerhead, Ireland. Jerry's mother, Muriel Land, left Grand Junction and lived with them until the end of her life in Dec. 2019. Ed and Jerry bought an RV in 2022 and made several trips to the mid-west and to the southeast to see friends. Their last trip was to Puerto Penasco, Senora, Mexico with their neighbors the Pughs' who are like family. Ed was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2019. His passing leaves a huge void in his family's life. He was loving, could be stern, was so much fun and loved a good party. Those who preceded him are both his parents; his brother, George White and wife, Betty; his sister, Jean Fash and husband, Art; his nephews, Steve and Roland Fash and Dylan Marez; and his granddaughter, MacKenzie Brianna White. In addition to his wife, son and daughter, he leaves behind grandsons, Aidan and Colin White and a granddaughter, Poy White. Also, nephews Rick and Randy White (and family) and Rich Fash. His sister-in-law, Maggie Land and niece, Rachel Marez-Kuhn and her family, and Stacie Marez and her girls. The many contractors, clients and designers he worked with at Santa Fe Door became his friends. From NM, AZ, Co, CA, TX, Fl, Puerto Pensaco MX, and points in-between, too many people to name but you know who you are and that you meant so much to Ed. We are grateful for the care and help that the people at Rio Grande Hospice gave Ed in his final days. Ed will be cremated and his ashes will be made into stones by Parting Stones of Santa Fe, NM. Some will travel back to Grand Junction to lay beside the graves of his parents, Jerry's parents and his brother George and his wife Betty. A big party will be planned for a future date to toast and remember the wonderful man that Ed was to his family and friends. Probably listen to some Eagles and Yacht Rock music as this was the soundtrack to Ed and Jerry's life together. Ed said, "He would see you down the road."

Publication date: January 31st, 2026