Malvin Daniel White's Obituary
Malvin Daniel White
The Gentle Giant
"Uncle Mal"
Malvin D. White died peacefully on April 10, 2013 at Swedish Hospital after a long battle with colon cancer. He was three days away from being 61.
Mal was born on April 13, 1952 in Artesia, Mississippi to Della M. Lucious. He moved to Tacoma, WA and attended Gault Junior High. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1970 where he ran track and was a member of the 1969 and 1970 Washington State Championship Track Team. He was a 1972 graduate of Green River Community College and a 1974 graduate of the University of Puget Sound. In 2001 he completed the leadership phase of the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University.
In Mal's forty distinguished years of service with the government, he worked in every regional division of the Health Care Financing Administration / Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). His knowledge of policy and operational areas made him unflappable in the face of tough, multi-layered, and nuanced questions about the many programs. He was a great and careful writer, pedantic (hairsplitting, particular, formal, precise, fussy, picky) and correct, which made him the perfect policy spokesperson for the Agency. He had a keen eye for hiring talented and smart staff who know their jobs, work hard, and exhibit model professionalism. Even though he was a man of few words, his words had weight and wisdom. If in a group meeting, you waited to hear what Mal would say because what he said mattered and needed to be considered. Mal had a lot of fans in CMS Seattle and elsewhere. He was looked up to, listened to, and admired. His courage and grace in the face of mounting health challenges was also inspiring.
Mal came to God and accepted Christ at the early age of eleven. He served the Lord in various capacities at Bethlehem Baptist Church and Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church. At Allen, he was Past President of Usher Board 42, a bible study teacher, the boy's Class Leader for Children's Church, Leader of the children's usher board, and a member of the Lay Organization. He was an avid reader of God's word and a true believer.
Mal was a gentle giant and an incredibly strong and fiercely independent man of God. He maintained his independence and an amazing positive attitude throughout his illness. His faith helped him hold onto the belief that he would be healed. On April 10, 2013 he received his healing. Psalm 30:2 "O Lord, my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me."
Mal is survived by his wife, Lynda Thomas-White, mother, Della M. Lucious, stepfather, Harry White Sr., sister, Virginia White, daughter, Elisa Hart-Seth, grandson, Christian Hart, granddaughter, Kyarra Seth, his children by love: Anthony, Karma, Ziann, and Kyra, best friend Charles Weatherby, a hosts of "nieces" and "nephews" who call him Uncle Mal, as well as relatives, friends and co-workers who all loved him and will miss him greatly.
Special thanks to Dr, William Hammond, Joanna Fesler, ARNP, the staff at Minor & James Medical and Swedish Medical. May God Bless you!
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