Edward Ray White was born on May 14, 1930, in Henderson County, Kentucky. He spent his short life in Henderson, attending Audubon School and living with his family on McKinley Street. Contemporary newspaper accounts describe him as a typical local schoolboy, known within his neighborhood, church, and extended family circle during the World War II era.
On the afternoon of May 25, 1944, Edward was tragically killed in an accident on the Pete Soaper farm outside Henderson. While assisting with farm work, he fell from the running board of a moving lime truck and was run over by the rear wheel. He was rushed to Henderson Hospital but died approximately thirty minutes later from internal injuries. He was just fourteen years old.
Edward was the son of Elvis White and the stepson of Jack Bentley. He made his home with his grandparents, Ed and Finess A. Hare, longtime Henderson residents, with Ed Hare serving the city for many years as license inspector.
Funeral services were held at Audubon Baptist Church, and Edward Ray White was laid to rest in Fernwood Cemetery, where he is buried in Section 19, Lot 1641½, Grave 12, within the Hare family plot. His grave lies among relatives with whom he shared his home and daily life, preserving his memory within one of Henderson’s well-known family groups. Today, his burial stands as a quiet reminder of a young life cut short and a poignant chapter in Henderson’s local history.
