Berniece Baker White

Berniece Baker White, 91, of Memphis, Tennessee passed away peacefully Saturday April 24, 2011. She was one of seven children born to Willie Earl and Rozell Nobel Baker from Hamburg, Arkansas on April 19, 1920. She attended the old Gardner one room school house in Arkansas until it was consolidated with the school in Fountain Hill Arkansas. After graduating from Fountain Hill School in 1938 she attended Arkansas A&M at Monticello, Arkansas where she obtained a teaching degree. She taught at Fountain Hill School before her marriage to Arthur E. White of Cotton Plant, Arkansas. She and her husband lived and raised their three children in Memphis, Tennessee. She was employed 25 years by the Memphis O.B.G.Y.N. Group located in downtown Memphis. After retirement they moved to Fairfield Bay Arkansas in 1986. In 2008 they moved back to enjoy their senior days at the Village of Germantown in Germantown Tennessee. She was a member of the Evergreen Presbyterian Church in Memphis, Tennessee. In 2003 while living in Fairfield Bay Arkansas her devotion to the Presbyterian Kirk of the Hills Church netted her the prestigious award, Presbyterian Woman of the Year which is only given every seven years. She was very proud and humbled by this honor. She taught slow learners at the Fairfield Bay Museum. She volunteered at the Charity Project Share and the Fairfield Bay Library. However, most of all she loved to work at her church. When anyone called to ask her to do something connected to the Church, her answer was always "I will be glad to". She lived by the Ten Commandments. She was preceded in death by her parents, Willie Earl and Rozell Nobel Baker, six siblings Willie Earl Baker, Myrtle B. Helbing, Jeroline B. Downey, Marianna Mears, Ralph N. Baker, Marcel D. Baker, a daughter, Phyllis Ann White Henry, and a son, Timothy B. White. She is survived by her husband, Arthur E. White of 70 years, two sons and their wives, James E. White, Eileen Smith White of Memphis , Richard A. White, and Wendy McClary White of Atlanta Georgia; six grandchildren, Jennifer White Castillo and husband Fred Castillo of Redmond, Washington, Christopher White and wife Summer Shockley White of Monroe, Washington, Ross White and wife Krystle Williams White of Webster N.Y., Klie White of Macon, Georgia, Crawford White of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; two great-grandchildren, Ryan White and William White; numerous kin folks and a multitude of friends. She was best described as a true lady. The family had received friends Thursday, April 28 from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Funeral services will be 11:30 p.m., Friday at Memorial Park with entombment to follow in Memorial Park Mausoleum.