Keith Austin White

Servant of God, Keith Austin White, reposed in the Lord on Sunday afternoon October 13, 2024, in Community Memorial Hospital in Hamilton, NY. As one would expect, his loving wife was right by his side. Days leading up were blessed with very loving and tender moments with many family members traveling to be with him and along with friends being right there by Keith’s side. After 28 years of being Russian Orthodox in his heart, Keith requested at the Eleventh Hour and was newly baptized the Servant of God, John, bringing him great comfort and peace. 

Keith was born November 18, 1954, in Berkeley, California, as the first-born child to the late Jack Austin White and Dr. Doris Newcomb White. In January 1997 Keith met the love of his life Jeanne Marie Gonyea, and were married on August 29, 1999, by the late Rev. Igor Hrebinka in St. John of Kronstadt’s Russian Orthodox Church in Utica, NY; recently celebrating 25 years of marriage.

Keith graduated high school Class of 1973 at Hamilton High East in Hamilton Square, NJ. After graduation on a family trip out west, Keith was severely burned from the waist down at the Yellow Stone National Park unsuccessfully attempting to save his sister’s pet dog who had gone in a Hot Spring. Keith was airlifted to Salt Lake City Burn Center and spent the next 8 weeks in the hospital before being flown back to NJ to finish his recovery. Keith then attended Vocational School in NJ, working as a Student/Apprentice at Storsela Machine Shop in Trenton, NJ, and as a Mechanic and Cherry Picker Operator for L.C. Bowers Construction in Princeton, NJ. In 1976, Keith moved full time to Brookfield, NY, working the family property that included raising Hereford cattle, building cabins and renovating his parents’ home. Then started his own Excavator/General Residential Construction business. During that time, he also built his own custom home in its entirety at the age of 28. In 1987 he started working out of what was then the Local 545, International Union of Operating Engineers in Syracuse, NY, for various companies throughout Central New York, as Heavy Equipment Operator/Crane Operator/Rigger. From 1990 to 2003, he was employed by Rig All, Inc. in Utica, NY, through the Local 545, as Crane Operator/Rigging Foreman. In February of 2003 he started and devoted himself to operating his own crane and rigging company, Austin Rigging, LLC, from the ground up, including purchasing his own 35-ton Terex Truck Crane and later purchased a brand new 2007 90-Ton Link-Belt HTT crane right off the line, trucks including a rollback, various forklifts all the way up to 30K lbs. After 8 years due to the economy at that time, he returned to the Local Union and worked for a number of other crane companies throughout Central New York including Lancaster Development, Richmondville, NY, and C&S, Syracuse, NY, a good amount of the last few years was spent working in Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, various windmill projects across the U.S. as well as working out of town at various Nuclear Plants in NY. He didn’t like being away from Jeanne at home and finally retired in 2016. He was an experienced operator for a variety of different cranes including hydraulic operated mobile cranes up to 250-Tons, lattice boom, cherry-pickers, all-terrain, rough terrain, and bridge/gantry cranes. Performed complex blind lifts. He maintained and added to his certifications throughout career as a crane operator/rigger. He was also NCCCO Certified for boom truck & large hydraulic cranes; PA licensed; 40-hour Hazwoper Waste Training Program. Re-certified yearly with 8-hour Hazwoper Refresher; CPR and First Aid; Forklift Instructor, Certified; AWS Welder Certified; Commercial Driver’s License - Class A Tractor Trailer; Advanced training in crane operation and Certificate of Competence for Crane Operation, Hydraulic and Cable.

Keith had in-depth knowledge in safe crane operations includes reading crane capacity charts in a variety of boom length configurations for cranes of different size, type and manufacturers. As a crane operator working for different companies and customers in many different situations, he often had been required to do crane operations in the blind with instructions given verbally by radio and/or hand signals. When working for Rig All, he was specifically requested by Rome Labs for their ongoing project over the years when needed for expertise crane work for their radar testing projects off of fighter jets at remote test sites. He was also an experienced Industrial Millwright and Rigger having installed, moved, reinstalled various types and sizes of machine tools and equipment. One project included an 8,000-ton stamping press, one of the largest in the United States. Another was the replacement of a 3,000 HP DC Westinghouse motor for a rolling mill. Just a snap shot of the experience that he gained over his career. He was a very conscientious hard worker that took great pride in his work and had the reputation throughout central New York IF there was a complicated project, he was the man brought in to do the job. 

November 1992 during the seasonal slowdown in crane work he took a brief break from cranes and attended the Divers Institute of Technology, Inc., Seattle, Washington. In May 1993, Graduated and received Diploma as Professional Commercial Diver and Dive Master Certification; He was the oldest student there and graduated #1 in class with a final average of 95.58. He also was awarded Technical Service Certification for Maintenance and Repair; American Society for Nondestructive Testing Certificate; Academic and Magnetic Particle; as well as an Award for Perfect Attendance in Class; Rigging; Underwater welding and salvage; and Saturation Diving. As a Commercial Diver he worked for Occidental Petroleum performing Toxic waste and clean-up project on Little Niagara River, NY. He also worked in June 1993 in Lafayette, LA for International Diving & Consulting Services. After retirement, he periodically drove cars part-time for Friendly Ford in Hamilton, NY, something he really enjoyed doing. 

Keith much preferred to scuba dive for fun and had some significant SCUBA Dive trips and travel to places that some can only dream about to: Beqa Lagoon, Fiji; Bali, Indonesia; Cancun, Mexico; Cozumel, Mexico; Venezuela, South America; Cocos Island, Costa Rica; Galapagos Islands, Honduras; Guanaja Island, Honduras; Socorro Island, Baja Mexico; St. Thomas, Virgin Islands; and Continental U.S.A.

Keith loved boating; one memorable trip was taking Jeanne on their honeymoon living on their boat for 10 days up through the Rideau Canal in Canada. He also had enjoyed snowmobiling. He loved being in his 40’ x 60’ commercial steel workshop that guys would drool over and of course he built that too. He was a talented man IF something needed to be done, he would be building, welding, making something functional that you would think he bought. Over the years IF something needed fixing, he would do that as well as service it from his cars, trucks, boat, snowmobiles (he even had that as a business once), trailers, equipment, or tractors. He loved his computer, his TV and it would not be unusual for him to be researching, reading and learning on his computer and phone all at the same time the TV would be on. He enjoyed a good Manhattan when he went out to dinner, and he enjoyed his Scotch in the past as well. He was a good guy, straight to the point, hard worker, and well liked. 

Keith was predeceased by his parents Jack Austin and Dr. Doris White; and by his much-loved labs he so missed: Bonnie, Boeman (Bo), and Bonner. 

He leaves behind his heartbroken wife, Jeanne Marie Gonyea White, whom he loved dearly and he was so grateful for all the care that she provided; he was a well-loved man. For 28 years he treated and considered Jeanne’s two children his own: leaving son, Michael Eggleston, daughter-in-law Alicyn and Keith was Papa to his granddaughter Trinity all of Hamilton, NY; also leaving daughter Mary Eggleston Baker, son-in-law Eric Ryan Baker, and Papa to grandchildren Isaac and Hannah at home of Temperance, MI. Papa to grandkids: “oldest” Eric Richard and Corrina and two little ones making Papa a Great grand Papa to: Naomi and Matthias of Maybee, MI; “first grandchild” Andrew Baker and wife Taylor Lynn of Camp Verde, AZ; Granddaughter Claire and husband Randall Fruchey and their little one making Papa a Great grand Papa to Peter, of Monroe, MI; and granddaughter Lilian Baker of Camp Verde, AZ. Keith is also survived by his sister Roberta (Robyn) White King and brother-in-law Michael of Hamilton, NY. Keith considered Jeanne’s family as if they were his very own and they did become that and he loved them all dearly for it: he is survived by what he would say is “nothings too good for his mother-in-law” and father-in-law: Donna and Alexander Glinin of Moneta, VA. His brothers and sisters-in-laws: James Gonyea and Nancy of Crane Hill, AL; Paul Gonyea and Ann of Huddleston, VA; John Gonyea and Rae Lynn of Gansevoort, NY; Tatiana Glinin Bennett of Abbeville, Alabama; and Sophia Stepnowski and Walter of Clayton, NC. Keith is also survived by nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Keith also has two friends that he would like to specially acknowledge: Mr. Dana Cross that has been not only a true friend, but a partner in fun times, and more like a brother for nearly 48 years: “Will miss you Dana”. Sam Reynolds, they worked for each other over the years and was always right there whenever Keith needed a helping hand when he wasn’t able to do it and Keith considered Sam a good friend, “thank you Sam”. 

Keith & Jeanne were so looking forward and in the process of moving to the Smith Mountain Lake area in Huddleston, VA, that he loved so much. Keith’s funeral service will be in Virginia, and he will be laid to rest there. Due to distance, an opportunity for those that desire to say their good-byes to Keith here in New York, may be done at 5 pm Wednesday, October 16, 2024, where a memory picture slide program with selected music will be provided once people have had the opportunity to say their good-byes to Keith at the Johnston & Stanimer Funeral Home in Brookfield, 10426 Church St., Brookfield, NY 13314. 

Funeral Service will take place at the Conner-Bowman Funeral Home, 62 Virginia Market Place Dr., Rocky Mount, VA 24151, 10 a.m. Saturday, October 19, 2024. Fr. John from the Cathedral of the Holy Resurrection Church in Worcester, MA will conduct the service. Burial services will then follow at the Mountain View Memorial Park, 5970 Grassy Hill Rd., Boones Mill, VA 24065. 

Immediately after burial, a celebration of life will be held at Donna & Alex’s home in Moneta, VA. 

A guest book will be provided to leave an online message of sympathy at both Funeral Homes: www.JohnstonFH.com and www.connerbowman.com 

Jeanne is truly humbled and grateful for the compassion, care and assistance shown to her in making these arrangements, especially with the dynamics of such distances involved, to the following: Edd Stanimer at Johnston & Stanimer Funeral Home in Brookfield, NY; Victor Conner at Conner-Bowman Funeral Home in Rocky Mount, VA, and to Blair Graninger at Mountain View Memorial Park, Boones Mill, VA. Thank YOU all so very much. 

Thank you so very much to the staff and providers at Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) at Hamilton, NY. You need to know that the care he received at CMH was the only hospital that he preferred to be in from all the others. Growing up Keith’s Mom was one of the first woman anesthesiologists in the country (Harvard grad as well) and his dad was a hospital administrator; Keith knew what would be acceptable and what wouldn’t in care at various health care facilities. CMH was the best around and for that we are truly grateful for the compassionate care that was shown to Keith and Jeanne. May God Bless you all.