Memorial

Elizabeth “BJ” Jan White, 82, died surrounded by family in University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics on Tuesday August 15, 2023. A graveside service will be held Wednesday, August 23rd at 11:00 A.M. in the Garden of Tranquility at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery where she will be buried alongside her husband.

BJ was born in Mankato, Minnesota, to Theodore J. Roemer, Sr. and Evelyn Jan (Catulla) Roemer. She was raised a small-town girl in Madison Lake, Minnesota, and after graduating high school she completed two years of secretarial/office training then moved to the big city, Des Moines, Iowa. Before climbing in the ranks, she began her 40-plus year career as an executive secretary for Farm Bureau where she met her future husband, Charles “Chuck” White whom she married on March 16, 1968. 

BJ’s career path changed when she began working for the Chevy Division of General Motors, but she and Chuck spent many fun-filled years in Des Moines before BJ was transferred to Milwaukee, Wisconsin then finally to GM’s headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. In Detroit, BJ represented Chevrolet in consumer mediation cases, and with a grin on her face, she proudly proclaimed her most-used words were, “No, no, no.” After her retirement, she and Chuck relocated to Marion to be close to family. Sadly, Chuck died shortly after in 2003. 

BJ will be remembered as a generous, fun-loving soul with a bit of a mischievous side. She was once caught midnight skinny-dipping at a Des Moines area country club but was never caught hiding in the trunk of the car sneaking into the local drive-in theater. She was a pro at catching and cleaning bullheads for breakfast and bonking frogs on the head for dinner-time frog legs at her and Chuck’s Minnesota cabin. It’s doubtful she ever paid full price for anything, and her favorite shopping spree was quarter day at Goodwill where she was often spotted sporting her straw hat. BJ proudly wrote the price on every grocery-store item she bought in bold, black marker and a visitor was hard pressed to leave her home without a jar of peanuts or a sweet candy treat in hand.

She is survived by her stepchildren Melinda (Mike) Bradnan, Lynette (Steve) Etzel, Jeff (Jeni) White; honorary family Josie Heskje and her children Jonah, Lydia, and Levi; and her grandson, Ryan (Karen) Etzel.

Elizabeth was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers, Robert “Bob” J. Roemer and Theodore “Teddy” J. Roemer, Jr. 

Memorial contributions can be made in BJ’s honor to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or the Make-a-Wish Foundation.