Ethel C. White

Ethel Arrilla Cobb White was born in Houston, Texas on September 8, 1930 to parents Charles Millerman Cobb and Gladys Monroe Cobb Fletcher. Ethel passed away in Smithville, Texas on October 16, 2022 at the age of 92.

Along with her older sister, Lorraine, she grew up and attended school in Houston, graduating from Milby High School in 1948.

Ethel met and married the love of her life, James (Jim) Eldon White on August 26, 1951. Ethel and Jim were married for 49 years before he passed away in 2000. Together, they raised four children – James (Ty) White (Nancy), New Bern, NC; Cindy Moss (Bob), Magnolia, TX; Melinda Nink (Raymond), Smithville, TX; and Karen Rhodes (Jon), San Antonio, TX. Throughout their life together, Ethel and Jim lived in numerous communities around Texas including Pasadena, Austin, Buda, Pflugerville, Gorman and Temple. After she was widowed, Ethel lived in Smithville and the last 15 years in Taylor.

Ethel enjoyed raising her family and being a mom, a homemaker, and an excellent seamstress including designing, sewing formals, and wedding gowns for her daughters. She and Jim were also involved in many of their children’s activities including Baptist Church youth groups, Rainbow Girls, FHA, Marching Band and more.

Ethel was a Lifetime Member of Order of the Eastern Star, having been a member for over 70 years. During that time she was a member in various chapters and served as Worthy Matron in Round Rock, Gorman and Vashti Chapter in Temple. She was also a Deputy Grand Matron in 1989-1990 serving in District 3. She continued to be active in the Taylor Chapter of OES until her health declined 2 years ago.

Ethel and Jim were strong Christians who attended Baptist churches in the communities where they lived, including being among the founding members of the First Baptist Church of Pflugerville in the late 1970’s – to early 1980’s.

In addition to her husband, Jim, Ethel was also predeceased by her parents, Charles Cobb and Gladys Cobb Fletcher; her sister, Lorraine Williams; and her nephew, Kenny Sutton.

Ethel is survived by her four children mentioned above, nine grandchildren – Allyson Moss, Nicole Alcala (Jacob), Jimmy White (Lacy), Dustin Moss (Jessica), Chris Lane (Brittany), Katie DeRock (Jim), Travis Lane, Matt Rhodes (Caroline) and Jakob Rhodes (Melanie); as well as 16 great-grandchildren including Dominic, Alyssa, Josiah, RJ, Jaden, Addison, Jackson, Loralei, Natalie, Dexter, Gabby, Darby, Jaiden, Shepard, Lucy Sue and Baby Rhodes on the way, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Ethel will be honored by family and friends on Monday, October 24, 2022 at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home with Visitation beginning at 2:00 p.m., Funeral Service at 3:00 p.m. and internment in Capital Parks Cemetery immediately following, where she will be laid to rest next to her husband, Jim.

We would like to thank the staff members at Towers Nursing Home in Smithville, TX for the wonderful care they provided our mother over the past 4 months, and to Lindsay, JoAnne, and Martha from Gracia Hospice for the compassionate care provided these past few weeks.

Ethel’s favorite color was purple, so if you choose to send flowers, we hope you will shower her with purple.

In lieu of flowers, we would appreciate any contributions you might consider in memory of Ethel White be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (www.alzfdn.org).