Edna Francis White

Edna Francis White, affectionately known as “Mrs W” or “Eddie” passed away on August 22, 2020; she was born November 6, 1930 and had 5 siblings (all deceased). She is survived by her son, Jonathan, daughter-in-law, Nichole, grands: Sydney, Trey, and Tyler and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. To say that she lived a great life is quite the understatement. She was a dedicated, beloved, and respected employee at the Detroit Board of Education and Graimark. As the matriarch of the White family, she instilled patience, kindness, and forgiveness to her son and grands. During the later seasons of her life (in both Dallas and Seattle) she was known by her famous tagline: “I am a blessed woman”. Her trademark smile had a way of putting people at ease and served as a catalyst for forming friendships.

Her favorite hobbies included bridge and shopping. Certainly more the latter, as she never met a department store (Saks, Lord & Taylor, Hudson’s) sale that she didn’t like. Her first grand, Tyler, would get shipments of new clothes monthly. The sales people knew so much about Tyler (from a myriad of photos, conversations, etc) that they would put outfits to the side for Mrs W.

Here are some notable quotes from people that loved her:

“She was so sweet and always offered us a smile. As you know, when asked how she was doing was I am a blessed woman. But she was a blessing to US daily with her peaceful spirit and kind words”.

“Your mother was a special lady. She always took care of us all at Graimark.”

“I got to know Mrs W when I worked upstairs from her at Stroh River Place. She was the sweetest person”.

While gone, Mrs W left an indelible mark on those that knew her. We gain comfort and solace from her gentle spirit, kindness, and love. Frankie, Vera, Ruthie, Norma, and Billy were waiting at the gates to welcome her home.