In Memoriam: John P. White, AIA Member Emeritus, 1933–2024

In the fall of 1998, I got to know John Poston White as a senior colleague, mentor, and friend, and later as a neighbor. Together, John and I advised many students on their theses, typically students’ last major project before graduating and entering the profession. During these advising sessions I was able to get to know John not merely as a colleague occasionally passing by; I was able to learn of his deep knowledge of architecture, keen sense for history, and, perhaps most importantly, his extraordinary sense of pedagogy and way of critiquing a student’s work in a constructive and optimistic manner. 

John’s interests were in all aspects of architectural design and in his specialty of historic preservation. John was curious and kind. Few of us get to live such a long and distinguished career in architectural education. John joined the Texas Tech University Department of Architecture in 1973 and stepped down from full-time teaching in 2018. John’s presence never left the college. He actively participated in our lecture series and came to the local AIA meetings. 

John was an active member in the American Institute of Architects and in the Historic American Buildings Survey. His scholarly pursuit in historic preservation made him an authority in the state and the nation, demonstrated through his engagement in the National Park Service and his expertise in documenting architectural structures of historic significance through drawings. 

In the first decade of this century, John was at the center of the college’s historic preservation program. He established a vital culture of combining his research interest in historic preservation with teaching, enabling students to travel and visit landmarks around the nation and beyond. John’s connections made it possible for TTU to scan the Statue of Liberty in New York, perhaps John’s most prominent preservation project, which placed the college and TTU on the national map. 

Other prominent projects of his are the Charles Goodnight Ranch House, the Four Sixes Ranch House, a site in Big Bend National Park, a structure in Puerto Rico, a historic location near Chaco Canyon, and George Washington’s tent, among others. John was ahead of his time; for John it was self-evident to combine his research interests with his teaching. He inspired many colleagues to follow his example. John was one of the first who set an example for the college on how to collaborate, being awarded grants and instilling a culture of research and teaching to the benefit of all—students, colleagues, and the disciplines of architecture and historic preservation.  

For over five decades, together with his twin brother, James “Jim” E. White, AIA Member Emeritus, John attended the TxA Annual Conference and was a fixture at our alumni reception, reconnecting and maintaining friendships with other alumni and inquiring about their latest professional accomplishments. Colleagues from other schools in Texas stopped by our reception—many specifically because of John, who looked beyond one’s alma matter and whose expertise was well known among the Texas schools. John’s kindhearted personality knew no boundaries and naturally attracted those who sought his expertise. Having served the college for 45 years is special; to have taught thousands of students, mentored dozens of colleagues, and worked in the state, the nation, and around the globe is truly exceptional.