Irene F White

Funeral Services for Irene F. White will be conducted from the First Presbyterian Church in Orleans, Nebraska on Monday, March 26, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Dave Irwin officiating. Interment will be in the Orleans Cemetery.

Irene F. White, 84 years of age, of Orleans, passed away on Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at Holdrege Memorial Homes in Holdrege, Nebraska. Irene was born February 1, 1928 in Phillips County, Kansas, the fifth of six children born to Sherman Lester and Myrtle Fern (Ingram) Wilcox. She received her education from the Red Top School in Phillips County, Kansas.

On January 1, 1947 she was united in marriage to Donald Oliver White of rural Stamford, Nebraska and to this union eight children were born: Colleen, Lester, Gloria, Ellen, David, Teresa, Lois and Dennis. They made their home on a farm six miles southwest of Orleans. In 1969 they moved into Orleans, where Don and Irene owned and operated the White's Service Station. Don and Irene also owned and operated the café in Orleans. Irene operated her own successful upholstery business and was well known as an excellent seamstress throughout the area.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Don on March 23, 1994. Later in years, she moved to Hillcrest Terrace in Alma, Nebraska and the past year Irene began to make her home at Holdrege Memorial Homes, where she received loving care and formed many new friendship bonds, especially with the staff.

Irene was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. The grandchildren will remember her peanut butter rolls.

She was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Orleans, the Chapter #218 of the Order of Eastern Star, American Legion Auxiliary, Birthday Club, Friendship Club and the Civic Club.

Besides her husband, Don, her parents, and step-mother, Edna Wilcox, Irene was preceded in death by three brothers: Paul Wilcox and his wife, Pat, Lee Wilcox and Morris Wilcox; one sister, Alice Brown; three brothers-in-law: Chester White and his wife, Wanda, Wesley Christensen and Dean Almquist; and sisters-in-law: Doris Wilcox and Pearl Bantam and her husband, Glen.

Irene leaves to mourn her passing her three sons: Lester White and his wife, Janice of Orleans, David White and his wife, Pam of Holdrege, Dennis "Bud" White and his wife, Diane of Orleans; five daughters: Colleen Slavik and her husband, Jim of Sidney, Iowa, Gloria Anderson and her husband, Scott of Kearney, Nebraska, Ellen Adkisson and her husband, Doug of Cozad, Nebraska, Teresa Anderson and her husband, Dan of Hastings, Nebraska, Lois Thalken and her husband, Todd of Kearney; twenty-one grandchildren; twenty-seven great-grandchildren; one brother, Lewis Wilcox and his special friend, Betty McInturf of Kansas City, Missouri; three sisters-in-law: Elma Christensen of Alma, Joyce Almquist of Axtell, Nebraska and Nola Wilcox of Oregon; brother-in-law, Don Brown of Lincoln, Nebraska and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 25, 2012 from 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Mitchell Funeral Home in Orleans.

A memorial has been established in her memory and will be designated at a later date.
Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com
The Mitchell Funeral Home in Orleans is in charge of the arrangements.