Nell Ray White

NELL RAY WHITE, 92, passed away Aug. 21, 2010, in Houston. The eighth of 11 children, Nell was born in Alma, Ark., on June 6, 1918. She attended school in Arkansas until she married William Howard “Whitey” White on Aug. 27, 1934, and they relocated to the Houston area. In 1971, Nell was widowed and began a career in real estate, serving as landlord for several apartments she owned.

Over the years, Nell enjoyed painting, crocheting, quilting and numerous other arts and crafts, generously passing on her creations to family and friends. She was an avid bridge player and met weekly with friends from Bayland Park Community Center and Clarewood House to play bridge and Rumikube. She was a loving, spirited, strong, independent woman, who was well liked by so many dear friends and loved deeply by her family.

Nell was preceded in death by her parents, Mark Jiles and Emma Elizabeth Green; her husband, William Howard “Whitey” White; her daughters and sons-in-law Geraldine and Marion Custard and Francine and Luther Maury Greene; and her 10 brothers and sisters.

She is survived by her four granddaughters and their families: Cari and Norm Kellett of Broomfield, Colo.; Carolyn and Byron Berger of Thornton, Colo.; Lesa and John Wagner of Sugar Land; and Laura Diehl of Sugar Land. She is also survived by great-grandchildren Heather Ponicsan, Casey Berger, Kelsey Berger, Allison Wagner, Amy Wagner, Ashley Wagner, Taylor Diehl and Tory Diehl, as well as several dear nephews and nieces.

The family wishes to extend a special thanks to Nell’s many friends for their friendship and support over the years, Dr. John Vanderzyl for his medical attention, and the doctors and ICU nurses of St. Luke’s Hospital of Sugar Land for their care, compassion and concern in her final days.

Memorial donations in Nell’s name may be made to Clarewood House, 7400 Clarewood Drive, Houston, Texas 77036.