Today would have been my mother-in-law's 81st birthday. She was truly an angel on earth. This is the memorial I wrote for her funeral. Thought I would share it. We miss you Momma White.
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There are a lot of things that people remember about Doris White, but the resounding memory of her that stands out in our minds is the love that she had for every person that crossed her path. The Bible says that the two most important commandments are to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. We know and witnessed her love for God and we dare to say that she loved her neighbor MORE than herself. Whether you were a family member, neighbor, coworker, friend, a plumber or just someone who was in the right place at the right time, you were always met with a sincere desire to reach out and love you. That love, like God’s love, was completely irresistible.
The many ways she loved are probably too numerous to count, but we got together as a family this week and talked, laughed, and cried about the memories we share. We decided that the most obvious way she loved others was through feeding them. She loved to cook and was always on a mission to feed someone. For the family, her sons say it started early each morning. She would get up at unimaginable hours and cook for anyone to make sure they had breakfast before they left. About two minutes after breakfast was eaten, she wanted to know what they wanted for dinner. She cooked and fed everyone that she cared about and much of her ministry of love was shared through the nourishment of others. Thoughtfulness and compassion were poured into the preparation of the food. She made sure that everything was prepared according to everyone’s preference, often making several main dishes at family gatherings to make sure the kids and grandkids favorites were represented. She went way beyond the call of duty to make sure whatever she did for you was perfect. These words from her grandson’s wife, Brittany White, sums it up perfectly: “A few things I remember from Grandma White is she knew that Jonathon didn't like bananas so she would make a separate dish of her banana pudding just for him. Even when we were living in North Carolina, when we would come home for a visit she would have it waiting at his parents just in case we didn't make it to Bartlett. It was half & half because I loved the bananas. She welcomed me to the family, the first time I met her, with open arms. She was so happy when she found out Jon & I were getting married. She always told me she loved me & kissed me on the cheek.“
Doris White’s famous banana pudding has touched a lot of lives! It is an all-time favorite in the family and has been shared with many, many people in reaching out in love to others. It is such a beautiful representation of the ripple effects that her love had on the lives of others. With every bite we take, we can still taste her, loving us.
Just the other day, we met a dear friend outside the post office on our way to the flower shop here in Bartlett. Our friend told us that she and another were just talking about how our mom never had anything bad to say about anybody. When Doris worked at the Bluebonnet Nursing Home in Granger, she handled all the recreational activities and of course, food for the events. She told us once that “all those old people need is for you to wrap your arms around them and tell them you love them.” We remember that all the kindness, compassion and thoughtfulness that she held in her heart trickled into every part of life with her. Her love was unconditional, real, complete, boundless and irresistible.
She loved her family. Billy White, her husband, fell ill to Parkinson’s disease and she would work in the mornings and drive to Temple, every day, to spend time with him. She also cared for her parents as they grew old and her sister Isabel when she succumbed to Alzheimer’s. Family was not the only recipients of her caring nature. She cared for Mattie Jones of Bartlett for a very long time while she lived next to her.
She was a loving mother to her three sons. She raised them to be strong, kind, and loving, just like her. They were her world and she watched after them and their families and worried that she didn’t do enough.
Favorite memories from the grandkids are how she always had canned Dr. Pepper available, always had a dollar to offer them (they in turn would go to the store to buy candy), picking up pecans in the yard, and tons of buttons in the garage. How the buttons got in the garage is still a mystery to the family. The porch swing on the porch of her house holds many memories for them. She always gave them her undivided attention and love.
She never wanted anything for herself. The sacrifices she made for family were undeniable. She always had a big, bright smile on her face. One of her favorite songs was “You Are My Sunshine”. She had the song on tape and the sentiment on a magnet on her refrigerator. Even in the last few years of her life, when memories departed and recognition of those she loved faded, we could walk in the nursing home and the minute she laid eyes on us, here came that big, beautiful smile. She was our sunshine.
In the last six years or so of her life, Doris White lost her memory to Lewy Bodies Dementia. Her memory faded away but the one thing we noticed was that even at the very end, her sweet, precious spirit never waned. Even in her confusion, visits were met with that big beautiful smile and a wink. And she always remembered to say “I love you”. She lost her memory and her ability to communicate. She forgot birthdays, names, and sometimes even faces. She didn’t remember a lot in those last few years, but praise God, she always remembered love.
“Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
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There are a lot of things that people remember about Doris White, but the resounding memory of her that stands out in our minds is the love that she had for every person that crossed her path. The Bible says that the two most important commandments are to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. We know and witnessed her love for God and we dare to say that she loved her neighbor MORE than herself. Whether you were a family member, neighbor, coworker, friend, a plumber or just someone who was in the right place at the right time, you were always met with a sincere desire to reach out and love you. That love, like God’s love, was completely irresistible.
The many ways she loved are probably too numerous to count, but we got together as a family this week and talked, laughed, and cried about the memories we share. We decided that the most obvious way she loved others was through feeding them. She loved to cook and was always on a mission to feed someone. For the family, her sons say it started early each morning. She would get up at unimaginable hours and cook for anyone to make sure they had breakfast before they left. About two minutes after breakfast was eaten, she wanted to know what they wanted for dinner. She cooked and fed everyone that she cared about and much of her ministry of love was shared through the nourishment of others. Thoughtfulness and compassion were poured into the preparation of the food. She made sure that everything was prepared according to everyone’s preference, often making several main dishes at family gatherings to make sure the kids and grandkids favorites were represented. She went way beyond the call of duty to make sure whatever she did for you was perfect. These words from her grandson’s wife, Brittany White, sums it up perfectly: “A few things I remember from Grandma White is she knew that Jonathon didn't like bananas so she would make a separate dish of her banana pudding just for him. Even when we were living in North Carolina, when we would come home for a visit she would have it waiting at his parents just in case we didn't make it to Bartlett. It was half & half because I loved the bananas. She welcomed me to the family, the first time I met her, with open arms. She was so happy when she found out Jon & I were getting married. She always told me she loved me & kissed me on the cheek.“
Doris White’s famous banana pudding has touched a lot of lives! It is an all-time favorite in the family and has been shared with many, many people in reaching out in love to others. It is such a beautiful representation of the ripple effects that her love had on the lives of others. With every bite we take, we can still taste her, loving us.
Just the other day, we met a dear friend outside the post office on our way to the flower shop here in Bartlett. Our friend told us that she and another were just talking about how our mom never had anything bad to say about anybody. When Doris worked at the Bluebonnet Nursing Home in Granger, she handled all the recreational activities and of course, food for the events. She told us once that “all those old people need is for you to wrap your arms around them and tell them you love them.” We remember that all the kindness, compassion and thoughtfulness that she held in her heart trickled into every part of life with her. Her love was unconditional, real, complete, boundless and irresistible.
She loved her family. Billy White, her husband, fell ill to Parkinson’s disease and she would work in the mornings and drive to Temple, every day, to spend time with him. She also cared for her parents as they grew old and her sister Isabel when she succumbed to Alzheimer’s. Family was not the only recipients of her caring nature. She cared for Mattie Jones of Bartlett for a very long time while she lived next to her.
She was a loving mother to her three sons. She raised them to be strong, kind, and loving, just like her. They were her world and she watched after them and their families and worried that she didn’t do enough.
Favorite memories from the grandkids are how she always had canned Dr. Pepper available, always had a dollar to offer them (they in turn would go to the store to buy candy), picking up pecans in the yard, and tons of buttons in the garage. How the buttons got in the garage is still a mystery to the family. The porch swing on the porch of her house holds many memories for them. She always gave them her undivided attention and love.
She never wanted anything for herself. The sacrifices she made for family were undeniable. She always had a big, bright smile on her face. One of her favorite songs was “You Are My Sunshine”. She had the song on tape and the sentiment on a magnet on her refrigerator. Even in the last few years of her life, when memories departed and recognition of those she loved faded, we could walk in the nursing home and the minute she laid eyes on us, here came that big, beautiful smile. She was our sunshine.
In the last six years or so of her life, Doris White lost her memory to Lewy Bodies Dementia. Her memory faded away but the one thing we noticed was that even at the very end, her sweet, precious spirit never waned. Even in her confusion, visits were met with that big beautiful smile and a wink. And she always remembered to say “I love you”. She lost her memory and her ability to communicate. She forgot birthdays, names, and sometimes even faces. She didn’t remember a lot in those last few years, but praise God, she always remembered love.
“Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
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