Passing of Retired ACI SA Ronnie White

Your ACISAA leadership was informed today of the passing of retired ACI SA Ron White, ACISAA Charter Member #21.  The following is his obituary, which was sent to us by his daughter Meg.  Anyone wishing to pass on their condolences can reach her at meg.eliz.white@gmail.com.

Obituary for Retired ACI Special Agent Ron White

Ronnie L. White of Cross Junction, Virginia passed away on 29 June 2025, leaving behind Barbara, his wife of 40 years, his daughter Megan Elizabeth, and his sister Marsha, who lives in Orlando. Ron was preceded in death by his younger brother Butch in 1957, his father Richard in 1996, and his mother Marge in 2002. Ron and Barbara were married in 1984 in Alexandria, Virginia and Megan was born in 1988. Barbara and Ron always said their greatest achievement in life was Megan, a beautiful young woman who has followed her Mom's path into education.

Ron loved his family and tried to spend as much time with them as he could. Over the years, Ron loved attending award winning school plays directed by Barbara. After Megan graduated from Penn State and moved to Los Angeles in 2011, Ron drove cross country twice to deliver cars to her. Ron also drove to Orlando each year to visit his sister. During the summer of 2017 Megan and her dad embarked on a week-long cross- country trip from Virginia to Los Angeles, stopping along the way to visit several sites in Virginia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona that neither had visited before.

Ron's interest in service to his country began at an early age when he heard stories of his dad's World War II service in the Pacific, including as Admiral Nimitz's personal radioman in the final 18 months of the war. His dad's father fought in France in World War I as a 17-year-old machine gunner.

After joining the US Army in May 1968 and attending two Army Intelligence schools in Massachusetts and Maryland. Ron was a decorated Vietnam veteran and was awarded a Bronze Star for his participation in a dangerous covert mission in enemy-held territory. After returning from Vietnam Ron attended the Army's Counterintelligence Special Agent School and finished his active-duty years as a Special Agent in the Washington, DC area. Ron served in the Army Reserve from 1979 to 1986 as a Special Agent and spent several active-duty periods in West Germany and England conducting sensitive counterintelligence activities.

Six days after leaving active duty in January 1973, Ron joined the Central Intelligence Agency and served for 30 years as a Staff Officer and nine years as a contractor. Ron's home office was the CIA's Operations Center where he specialized at various times in Russian, European, Middle Eastern, and Terrorism issues. Over the years Ron served in several sensitive assignments away from Headquarters, including as a Senior Duty Officer in the White House Situation Room from 1981 to 1987. In 1988 and 1989, Ron served as a CIA Representative to the National Military Command Center at the Pentagon and in 1991 and 1992 he was assigned to the National Reconnaissance Office as a Senior Mission Operations Officer. Ron's final assignment as a Staff Officer was as a Team Chief from 1996 to 2003 on the Agency's Presidential Daily Brief Staff.

Upon Ron's retirement as a Staff Officer in May 2003, he was awarded the Agency's Career Intelligence Medal.

After retiring for the second time in 2012, Ron joined the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO), an organization of retired and current intelligence officers from throughout the Intelligence Community. Ron also joined the Central Intelligence Retiree Association (CIRA) and enjoyed attending the luncheons and dinners that both groups sponsored over the years. It was a great way to keep in touch with a few former colleagues and stay informed about the Agency and the Intelligence Community.

Ron was born in Akron, Ohio on March 9, 1948. He was a big fan of Ohio sports teams, including Ohio State's football team, the Cleveland Browns, and the Indians/Guardians. Whenever he could get away Ron would drive to Cleveland or Columbus to watch the teams he loved.

Services for Ron will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.