Mary Elizabeth White

Mary Elizabeth White went home to her Heavenly Father and his son on Friday,April 22,2011,after an illness. She is preceded in death by her husband,Herman White,Sr:mother,Sylvia Kittrell Burwell;father,Robert Earl Burwell;sister,Helen Henly and step-son,Hermain White,Jr. She was baptized at Granville Baptist Church in Oxford,NC as a youth and joined Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Richmond as a young adult. She was a devoted and dedicated wife,mother,grandmother and great-grandmother. She was a mother to not only her children but to any child who needed to be loved and taught the values of life. She was well known for her exceptional culinary skills and no child around her would be allowed to go hungry. In 1962,she created a book club in her home primarily for her children which she expanded to include other children within the community,teaching the importance of literacy. She served as a volunteer within the Richmond Public School System primarily with the Head Start Program along with Dr. Virgie Binford. With her love and vested interest for all children,she marched on Washington in the early 70's to support funding to build safer playgrounds and educational tools for schools. She leaves behind to cherish her memory and life,a loving and devoted family,nine daughters;Carolyn(Robert,Sr.)Hermione,Freda(Jay),Shelia,Ella,LaRisha,Patricia,Tonya and Cassie;seven sons;Douglas,Sr.,seven sons;Douglas,Sr.Daphine),Jerry"Linwood",Sherman,Sr.(Brenda),Rudolph,Sr.Nathaniel,Sr.Thomas,Sr.,and Johnny,Sr.,(Jacquelyn);five step-children;Carlotta,Bernice(Samuel,Sr.),Clemetine,Bernard and Adolphus;thirty-three grandchildren;Robert,Jr.,TaWanda,Sheranda,Douglas,Jr.,Shaqwana,Alexis,Sherman,Jr.,Sahrah, Senan,Matthew,Shelia,Rudolph,Jr.,Rutia,Nathaniel,Jr.,NayShaunnia,Te'Corius,Thomas,Jr.,Trey, LaKisha,Shanice,Herman,LaTasha,Shanesha,William,Sr.,Kenny,Jameela,Briana,JuJuan,Alexis,Jasmine,Johnny,Jr.,Jzhonae and Justyn;twenty great-grandchildren;Angelique,Angelina,Kaiylan,Da'Mya,Josiah,Jalen,Mark,Markee,NyrRiian,Naky'ya, Jozjahnae,CaNai,Ta'Cori,Markeyla,Excelle,Markhiya,Lishira.William.Jr.,Sherrod and Rashard;nineteen step-children;forty-eight step great grandchildren;three aunts;Ruth Kittrell.Sallie Gilliam and Frances Kittrell of Oxford,NC;one sister-in-law;Bertha White,several god-children and a host of other relatives and friends.

Tributes

Mary Elizabeth White

July 18, 1927 - April 22, 2011