Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Kenneth R. White

Died June 5, 2011 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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35, of Fort Collins, Colo.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died June 5, in FOB Salerno, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered as the result of an OH-58D helicopter crash. Also killed was Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bradley J. Gaudet.

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Colo. orders flags lowered on day of soldier’s funeral

By Trevor Hughes
Fort Collins (Colo.) Coloradoan

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has ordered flags lowered to half-staff on all public buildings statewide June 15 in honor of Chief Warrant Officer Kenneth White of Fort Collins, who was killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan earlier this month.

Flags should be lowered from sunrise to sunset, the governor's office said. A funeral service for White will be held June 15 in Loveland.

White, 35, died June 5 in Khost province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered as the result of a helicopter crash during a combat mission while serving with Task Force Tigershark. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y., according to the military.

White was born in Key West, Fla. He attended schools in Port Neches, Texas, and New Orleans, La. His parents, John and Linda White, moved to Fort Collins in 1994 and he joined the Army in October that year, stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, and then to Fort Carson at Colorado Springs where he met and married Sarah Richard on Oct. 23, 1998.

He then went to flight school, flying the OH-58D Kiowa helicopter and served two tours in Iraq - August 2005 to September 2006 and October 2008 to October 2009. He deployed to Afghanistan in October 2010 and was due to return home this October, according to an obituary supplied by his family.

White's family said he was a "wonderful man of God, an extraordinary husband to Sarah and loving father to his three children. An outstanding officer and friend, kind and patient, who inspired others to be better spouses, parents and friends. He was serving his country and doing what he loved best - flying."

Decorations include two Air Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, two Army Achievement Medals, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, two Army Good Conduct Medals, two National Defense Servi- ce Medals, two Iraq Campaign Medals, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, two Overseas Service Ribbons, the Army Aviator Badge, the Combat Action Badge and the Senior Aviator Badge.

White is survived by his wife of 12 years, Sarah, of Watertown, N.Y.; three children, daughters Alita and Natalie, and son, Seth; parents, John and Linda White of Fort Collins; brother Stephen White and wife, Vanessa; niece Breanne; nephew Philip; maternal grandmother Mary Goldsby; grandfather John White Sr.; grandmother Gloria White; aunt Lori Daubert (Glenn); uncle Steve White (Angelle); father-in-law James Richard and wife, Dr. Cindy Rush; and numerous nieces and nephews, as well as friends and church family in Watertown, N.Y.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Kenneth Ryan White Memorial Fund in care of Resthaven Funeral Home, 8426 S. U.S. Highway 287, Fort Collins, CO. 80525.