Rita Sally Martin White

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Rita Sally White, it summarized in every way who she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her. Rita had a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone, especially her family.

      Rita was born on February 3, 1941 at her family home in Lambs, Michigan. She was the daughter of Edwin and Helen Martin. Raised in Port Huron, Michigan, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.

      As a young girl, Rita was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Rita was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Rita was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Rita also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Rita was raised with three brothers and two sisters: Marie, Charles, Kenneth, John (Al), and Fay. Rita was constantly involved in activities with her family. Rita and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

      Growing up, Rita was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. She was content to entertain herself, but enjoyed the time with her family. Rita was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, she was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything she did as a child, Rita was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around her. Rita took part in a number of activities as a child. She played basketball and was a Girl Scout. In her spare time she liked fishing and playing outside.

      Rita enjoyed learning. She always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Rita was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Rita was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. She graduated from Port Huron High School in 1959. Rita enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers.

      Most folks would say that Rita was shy until they got to know her. Those who were privileged to know her well learned that she was a solid, good friend. Rita was reluctant to generalize about people, and she based her friendships on her personal experiences. Because of this, Rita best trusted those people that she truly knew. She was concerned about how those around her felt, and she always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. She could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that she made, Rita kept. While growing up, some of her best friends were Charlotte, Josephine, Sally Burgess, Dorrie, and Pat Eppley. Later in life, she became friends with Nancy Walsh, Natalie Pence, Janice Moncrieff, Woody, Clyde and Berniece Taylor, Linda Ellis, and Margaret (Range Road Speedway).

      Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Rita. On August 22, 1959 Rita married Burton Thomas White at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Port Huron, Michigan. She was totally committed to Burton and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Rita naturally sensed her spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Rita disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

      Rita was a good mother to her children. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Rita was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Rita was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Rita was blessed with four children: Cheryl, Kimberly, Tracey, and Stephen. Rita was also blessed with 7 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. Grandchildren include: Michael, Scott, Kristen, Rita, Cassandra, Logan, and Justine; Great grandchildren include Ashleigh, Jordan, Haidin, and Cody. After Rita went to be with the Lord, her family was blessed with two additional great grandchildren: Landen and Natalie, who both know and love their GiGi.

      If you gave Rita a deadline, she would meet it. At work, Rita was always on task. Without hesitation, Rita could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. Her primary occupation was that of a house wife, but when her children were grown, she became a manager of gas stations and convenience stores. Rita was employed for several years and she excelled at her job. She was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Rita was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Rita had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. She always managed to come up with a win/win solution for all parties.

      Rita liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Rita's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Rita preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were Jigsaw puzzles, scrap booking, reading, crossword and word search puzzles, ceramics, painting/crafts, watching sports, going to the theater, traveling, bingo, playing cards, scrabble, collecting jewelry and priceless figurines, crocheting, knitting, camping, and going to baseball games. Rita was content to sit quietly alone and enjoy her hobbies but she truly loved being with her family.

      While thorough and measured in her approach to things, Rita often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. She was like that with sports. In high school, Rita played basketball. Recreational sports included score keeping for community baseball leagues in Port Huron, Michigan and Rita also participated in a women's bowling league. She also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, she was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite teams (the Detroit Lions and the Detroit Red Wings) whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were football, hockey, and wrestling.

      Due to her excellent organizational skills, Rita was a welcome addition to the professional and community organizations to which she belonged. Rita could bring established, successful methods to the discussion table, along with a generous helping of common sense. Rita was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details. While her children were in school, Rita was an active member of the PTA, card clubs, and Port Huron Central High School Booster Club.

      Rita was active in the community. She was practical and grounded and based her decisions on first hand experience. She was responsible and liked working to achieve results rather than just chattering about possibilities. Rita was a member of several community groups, serving as a volunteer at Botsford Hospital.

      An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, her faith was important to Rita. Her compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in her personal beliefs. She was raised in the Catholic church, but chose to practice her spiritual beliefs at home. During that time, she was involved in catechism, first holy communion, and confirmation.

      Doing things to help others seemed to come naturally to Rita. She never set out to gain individual recognition, but the praise and accolades given her for her many and varied efforts throughout her life were well deserved. Some of her most prestigious awards included Great Mother and Great Grandmother Awards; several honors and awards as store manager; service awards.

      Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Rita had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that she was the trip planner. She would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included a trip to Hawaii, an Alaskan cruise, a Caribbean cruise, Toronto, New York, Colorado, and annual camping trips.

      Rita's favorite pets were a Terrier dog named Trixie; a Golden Retriever named Sir Beaugard of Oakwood (Beau); and a Cocker Spaniel named Quigley. These dogs were her best friends for ten to twelve years each. Her pet family was rounded out by her birds Nicky and Smokey; cats Sabrina and Muffin; tropical fish; and dogs Sandy, Duke, and Buttons. Rita was as loyal to her pets as they were to her.

      Rita retired in 2003. Her new life involved relocating to Milford, Michigan to be with Cheryl and John (her daughter and son-in-law). In retirement, she found new pleasure in travel, playing bingo, volunteering, enjoying her hobbies, and spending time with her family. Even in retirement, Rita continued to stay in touch with her old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in the community, volunteered at Botsford Hospital, and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered her.

      Rita passed away on October 19, 2009 at Botsford Hospital in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Rita fought a brave battle in chemotherapy against non-Hodkins Lymphoma. She is survived by her children Cheryl, Kimberly, Tracey, and Stephen; Son's-in-law John and Rick; Daughter-in-law Kathy; Sister Fay; 7 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. Services were held at Elton Black and Son Funeral Home in Highland, Michigan. Rita was cremated and sprinkled across the world.

      It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Rita was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Rita was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Rita White was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Rita. She will be and is sorely missed!!