|
BENTON HARBOR - Willie Steven White, 59, of Columbia, S.C., formerly of Benton Harbor, went home to be with the Lord Thursday March 10, 2011, at Palmetto Health Baptist Hospital.
A celebration of life service will be held Tuesday March 22, 2011, at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. Visitation begins at 10 a.m., followed by the funeral at 11 a.m.
Willie was born May 27, 1951, in Benton Harbor to Edna White and the late Frank White. He attended Benton Harbor High School. He was an employee of Benton Harbor Area Schools as well as United Parcel Services.
Willie is survived by his wife, Alma White, and mother, Edna Williams, both of Benton Harbor; daughters, Sabrina (Travis) Craig of Columbia, S.C., Shekinah White and stepdaughter Teneshia Palmer, both of Benton Harbor; sons, Steven White and Demtrius White, both of Benton Harbor, and Kenny (Jennesse) White of Detroit; stepson Keith Larry of South Bend; sisters Regina (Bobby) Richmond, Vickie (Ronnie) Franklin and Sandra White, all of Benton Harbor, Valerie (Hosea) Triplett of Niles, Darlene (Alive) Meridy of South Bend, Paula Davis of Mishawaka, Versia White, Bernita White, Darlene White, Zelma White, Sharon Collin and Tamiko Castle; brothers, Jerry White, Roger White and Nathaniel White, all of Sandusky, Ohio; 18 grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and special friend, Hilda Wright.
Willie was preceded in death by his ex-wife, Shirely White; father, Frank White; brother, Andre White, niece, Dorothy Peace, and a special friend, Alice Palmer.
Arrangements are entrusted to Family Funeral Home, Benton Harbor.
|
Curtis R. Williams
Willie was part of a team of about twenty kids who grew up near Bard Elementary School and spent their post kindergarten summer days rolling automobile tires and racing mostly homemade bicycles and go-karts until sundown. In those days we could safely roam through the tall weeds which sprang up all over Benton Township, hunting insects which we held prisoner until we fed them to our cats. Willie later became a very good athlete and a very nice youngster with thick glasses which he had to repair with tape almost daily because he never shied away from any form of boyish physical contact whether it involved sports or the general roughhousing for which Benton Townshio was famous. All the parents loved Willie because he was so mannerable and inexplicably honest. He was a young gentleman who remained a great guy his whole life, He will be sorely missed.