TAPS: NIP Founding Father Trentwell “Pete” White Passes Away at Age 93

Commander (Ret) Trentwell Mason White Jr., known as “Pete” from his earliest years, passed on 25 August 2025 at 93 in Catlett, Virginia. Pete was one of the six founding members and first directors of NIP, and served as the organization's first secretary/treasurer. His participation in founding NIP was one of his proudest achievements. 

Pete was born during the Great Depression, in Boston, Massachusetts on December 28, 1931. His parents were Trentwell M. White and Helen Thompson Hawley, of Auburndale, Massachussetts. He is survived by his wife Pat, his younger sister Marywinne, five children, six grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.

Pete grew up in and around the Greater Boston area, with his parents and two sisters Meredith “Mousy” and MaryWinne. He attended Browne & Nichols (now Buckingham, Browne, and Nichols) prep school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, graduating in 1950 in a class of about 30! He participated in sports (including football, wrestling, & basketball) but moved to coaching crew after a heart murmur was discovered. He also appeared on stage, with classmates Tony Perkins and Tammy Grimes (Tony winner for originating the Molly role in “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” on Broadway). Pete also appeared in the role of Strephon in the Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera “Lolanthe” in his junior year. Pete had taken piano lessons in his youth, and an entry in his BB&N senior yearbook noted that Pete and Tony Perkins often competed for use of a piano at BB&N. Pete was extremely active with BB&N as an alumni, working tirelessly up until his passing to keep his class, and members of other classes, actively connected and communicating, arranging lunches and other get-togethers, and keeping everyone involved. In 2023 he was awarded the BB&N Medal for his extensive efforts.

Pete attended Amherst University in 1950, and then transferred to Tufts University to join Tufts’ NROTC program in 1951, graduating with a degree in English in 1955. He also met his first wife, Caroline Bentley, in an English class at Tufts, when he made jokes, talked loudly, and even tugged on her hair to get her attention. Pete also somehow found time to complete an MA in Education at Tufts. 1955 was a busy year for Pete, as he graduated from Tufts, married Carol, and joined the Navy as an Ensign. Right after marrying he and Carol made their first move for the Navy, reporting to Philadelphia to join his first ship (which was in drydock). Over the next 20 years they had three boys (Trent, Dana, and Steve) and adopted a girl (Markell). They would move their growing family 12 times between 1955 and 1975, to and from locations in Pennsylvania, Maryland (twice), Virginia (four times), California (three times), & Hawaii (twice). Quite a road show.

In 1975 Pete’s marriage to Carol ended and he married his second wife, Cammy Jones, and shortly after in 1977 he retired from the Navy. They had a daughter together, Meredith, and Pete launched what would be an active and eclectic career after the Navy, working with private companies, teaching, and working with multiple Chambers of Commerce, universities, and other state entities on business development and partnerships, career services, and other programs over the next 25 years. He didn’t fully retire until he was 82! He was very proud of his long service to the Virginia business and educational communities, where developed and led programs: Adjunct Faculty, Northern Virginia Community College; Manager of Business Development, Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce; Program Coordinator, Kay Haverkamp Center for Employee Development, Northern Virginia Community College; Marketing Coordinator, Northern Virginia Regional Partnership; Director, Hampton Roads Project, Northern VA Technology Council; Coordinator of Career Services & Corporate Liaison; National Louis University; Coordinator of Business Partnerships, Northern VA Workforce Investment Board; Manager of Business Development, Prince William Chamber of Commerce. Whew!

By 1993 Pete’s marriage with Cammy had ended and he married Pat Mallon, and they settled in Catlett, VA where he added “rancher” to his job resume. He managed several pastures on their property, had a barn a chicken coop, and raised chickens and llamas and played host to visiting ducks, geese, and herons, and Pat raised world-class champion standard schnauzers. They loved the rural nature of Catlett, and shared a love of wild birds. They maintained an active collection of bird feeders on their back porch that attracted a wide range of hummingbirds, cardinals, woodpeckers, squirrels (no no!!) and other local birds. Dad also found a home at the nearby Greenwich Presbyterian Church, where he found a warm and supportive congregation and made good friends, particularly the ROMEO group (Retired Old Men Eating Out) who met regularly to share lunch and fellowship.

Pete was particularly proud of his service to his country in the Navy from 1955 to 1977. His career started in surface warfare (he liked to say he was a “ship-driver”) for the first half of his 22-year career, serving as XO (Executive Officer) on LSTs (Landing Ship Tank) and LSD (Dock Landing Ship), Mine Sweepers, and Destroyers (including the USS McCain, and the USS Sproston).

Pete initially joined the Navy thinking he would leave after completing his required service. However, he had a life-changing experience on his second ship when his commanding officer offered him the opportunity to assume unexpected and exciting responsibilities managing the ship and communications with senior fleet personnel. This exciting experience changed his perspective and life goals, and he changed course and made the Navy his career.

In 1967 he transferred from surface warfare to Naval Intelligence, a second unexpected career change. He had a short two-year tour teaching at the Naval Academy, and was thinking about what duty he would want in the future. He happened to look at the Navy Times one afternoon (something he rarely did) and to his great surprise he found an article there that included him on a list of officers that been put in for Naval Intelligence school and had been accepted! He called the officer who managed his duty assignments and was told that there had been a mistake and his name had been accidentally submitted for the school. The officer said not to worry, he would cancel the school. Dad paused and said “Well wait a minute…” He thought for a moment and decided right then and there that he would go to the Naval Intelligence school and move to Naval Intelligence duty.

Pete moved to Naval intelligence in 1967, working for Commander-in-Chief Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT). Then in 1969 he joined Task Force 157 Covert Division and worked there until 1971, when he moved to reporting on intelligence to the First Fleet Commander. His final two Navy posts were at the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency), as head of the European and then the Soviet Navy sections. Pete was very happy with his “accidental career” change and very proud of his service to his country.

After his retirement from the Navy, Pete was one of the six founding members and first directors of Naval Intelligence Professionals (NIP). NIP is an international organization created to “…further knowledge of the art and science of naval Intelligence and to foster camaraderie among members of NIP.” Pete served as the organization's first Secretary and Treasurer, and actively participated in NIP up until his passing. In addition to serving as the original Secretary and Treasurer, he was also the first NIP Newsletter Editor starting in September 1985. His participation in the founding and leadership of NIP was one of the proudest achievements of his life.

Pete’s happiest place in all the world was the family cottage in Manomet, MA, where he spent entire summers with his family growing up, and where in his adult years his extended family joined together every summer to walk the low tides, have his favored “G&T” happy hour, enjoy lobster dinners, and share relaxing days on the cottage porch, where he ruled the roost from his favorite rocking chair. He would visit favorite sites on Cape Cod (the Thorton Burgess house, Pairpoint Glass & Crystal, The Dexter Grist Mill) and local seafood restaurants (The Lobster Hut in Plymouth or Seafood Sam’s in Sandwich – clams with bellies!). After a rewarding day he would sit at the head of the family dinner table and provide the confirmation that things had turned out as hoped with his signature “Num-num-num” approval of the evening’s dinner, and then ask promptly, “What’s for dessert – anyone want to go to Kush Kone for an ice cream sundae?”

In all his activities, Pete didn’t watch from the sidelines, he stepped up and threw himself into improving everything he was involved with. “How can we make this better?” and “What can we do to improve things?” were his favorite questions.

We will all miss him, and especially miss his happy response when asked how he was doing — a smile and, “Well, I woke up today…”