Caroline Louise Dunkel White Brask passed away peacefully on April 9, 2026 in Canyon Country, California, after losing her battle with cancer.
Caroline was born to Charles and Katie (Sgaga) Dunkel, at Belmont Hospital in Chicago, on Jan. 7, 1942. The family remained in Chicago until 1943 when they moved to Bohner’s Lake in Burlington. Caroline attended Winkler School, graduated from Burlington High School and attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She was a member of Cross Lutheran Church in Burlington.
On Oct. 20, 1962, she married Jon Richard White, who preceded her in death. They had two children, Phillip Jon White and Kristina Louise White-Pinero. Caroline is survived by both of her children and grandchildren Shannon, Katelyn and Aaron White, and Ian, Adian and Rowan Pinero.
During her life, her family ran the Dunkel’s White Oaks Restaurant in Burlington for 30 years. In 1979, they sold the restaurant and the Dunkels retired. Following her parents’ retirement, Caroline began her own career in the culinary industry, throughout which she won many awards and accolades.
Early in her career, she worked for the Disneyland Hotel where she served many years as the Chef Grademanger in the French Brigade Kitchens. In 1987, she moved back to Wisconsin and worked at the Abbey Hotel and finished her career at the Geneva Inn. During her tenure at the Geneva Inn, she represented the hotel at the James Beard House in Manhattan.
In 1997, Caroline retired and moved back to California where she spent time across the state in Yreka, Irvine and Canyon Country spending time with and helping care for her six grandchildren. She celebrated her years of culinary expertise by teaching culinary classes for the Siskiyou Economic Development Council, Saint Mark’s Preservation Square and many local businesses in Yreka. She also wrote both weekly and monthly culinary-focused articles for the Siskiyou Daily News.
Caroline was also a member of Mount Zion Lutheran Church in Yreka and Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Santa Clarita, California. She was a member of the American Culinary Federation, Saint Mark’s Preservation Square and the Yreka Garden Club.
In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Yreka Garden Club for a tree at the Gold Street Garden. Please send all donations to 1108 Northridge Drive, Yreka, CA 96097.