Richard “Dick” Booth White, son of the late Frank K. and Doris Booth White, of New Canaan died Sunday, April 26, at Stamford Hospital. He was 83. Mr. White was raised in Larchmont, N.Y. He completed his secondary education at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., and then went on to Yale University, where in his senior year he was the business manager of the Yale Daily News. In 1952, he graduated from Yale with bachelor’s degrees in both English and psychology. He spent the next three years on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as an infantry officer and later as an intelligence specialist attached to the C.I.A. In 1955, he joined the advertising firm of BBDO as a trainee in its New York office. He spent the next 29 years with that organization, rising through its account management ranks to executive vice president, board member and chairman of the executive committee. He also served as a member of the board of BBDO International, the firm’s parent corporation. During his years with BBDO, he had senior management responsibility for such accounts as General Electric, Campbell Soup, RJR Industries, Gillette, and Scott Paper. For a number of years, he also had administrative responsibility for the agency’s media and TV programming departments, as well as for the development and oversight of all New York-based account management personnel. In 1984, Mr. White retired from BBDO and joined Spencer Stuart, the global executive search firm, as an associate director in its New York office. He was elected a director in 1986, and a senior director/partner in 1989. During his years with the firm, he handled high-level search assignments for a wide range of client organizations, focusing heavily on consumer products, financial services, advertising/public relations and marketing services sectors. He retired from Spencer Stuart in 1998. In addition to his professional pursuits, Mr. White was also involved in a number of civic activities. He served as a member of the New Canaan Town Council, as well as the Board of Directors of the Stamford Symphony Orchestra. He served a three-year term as president of the executive board of Waveny Care Center, and he was chairman of the care center’s $10 million capital campaign to fund construction of a new special care wing for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. In addition to these activities, Mr. White served on the board of the Madison Square Boys and Girls Club of New York City, was a member of the Session of the First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan, a chairman of the board of Vitam Center in Norwalk, trustee of the New Canaan Country School and a board member of the New Canaan Inn. As a member of the New Canaan Town Council, he served in a number of capacities, including chairman of the council’s Ordinance Committee, the Education Committee, and membership on the Charter Review Committee, which triggered the town’s current charter revision. Mr. White’s other important civic contributions included chairman of the town’s Land Use Oversight Committee, member of the First Selectman’s Advisory Group, facilitator of Waveny Care Network’s plan to create a continuing care retirement community, member of the Irwin Park organizing committee, and member of the Police Commission’s search team to select a new police chief for the Town of New Canaan. For 46 years, Mr. White lived in New Canaan with his wife of 52 years, Mary Kane White. Together they raised their three daughters, Katherine White Marsland, Anne White Collard and Leslie White Siek, and their deceased son, Richard Booth White Jr. They also have six grandchildren. In addition, Mr. and Mrs. White own a home in Quidnet on Nantucket Island, where they relaxed with their family and friends. On Nantucket, Mr. White enjoyed surf casting for and smoking blue fish, his family said. Memorial donations may be sent to Waveny Care Network or The First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan’s Friends of Music. There will be a memorial service at 11 on Saturday, May 3, at The First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan, 178 Oenoke Ridge. For online condolences and directions please visit www.hoytfuneralhome.com.