Valena Launa White

Valena Launa White, 89, was born January 9, 1932 in Grapevine, Texas to Richard Ernest Payton and Bonnie Dunn Payton. She passed away peaceful at her home in Austin, Texas on Monday, August 2, 2021.

Val, as she was known by her friends, graduated from Roanoke High School in 1949 as Salutatorian. She was a devoted Baptist and she began practicing her faith at Lonesome Dove Baptist Church, Southlake, Texas. More recently, she was a member of First Baptist Church in Dripping Springs, Texas where she enjoyed the Silver Saints Sunday school class.

She worked at Texas Instruments for many years. Then, moved her family to East Texas where she was office manager for the Federal Land Bank in Sulphur Springs, retiring after 35 years.

Val was a member of the Hubbard Chapel Daughters of the American Revolution and had a passion for history and genealogy. She traveled to Europe and the Scandinavian countries to research the family lineages and left her children with wonderful documentation of their heritage. She, also, had an enthusiasm for helping Veterans and for the past seven years she volunteered at the Veterans Clinic in Austin. She helped WWII veterans document their amazing stories for publication. She loved to serve her community and for more than 45 years she volunteered to help with political campaigns and on election days could be found manning her post at the polls.

She loved to bake, especially her beloved banana bread and cherry pie. She loved the outdoors, sitting around a campfire, rocking on the patio or walking through the garden to prune the flowers. Roses were her favorite. After retirement she bought a motor home and traveled the country with fellow RV-ers, Loners on Wheels. Together they traveled abroad and some of her favorite trips were to England, Spain and Morocco. She loved to cruise with family and loved the beauty of Alaska. Most of all she loved to have family and friends join her to play table games--dominoes, 42, train or rummicube. She always brought stories and laughter to the table.

Val will be remembered as a beautiful, kind-hearted woman with an independent spirit. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who loved her God, her family, and her friends. Her children will say that she was always, always there for them.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Harol White, brother, Wayne Cletus Payton, daughter, Linda Kathleen Davenport and son-in-law, John Davenport. She is survived by her loving family including her son, Richard Michael Shockey and wife Susan; daughter, Cindy Million and husband Ron; son, Johnny Thompson and wife Judy. Seven grandchildren Heath Shockey and wife Michelle, Clint Shockey, Allison Malone and husband Nathan, Ryan Million and wife Rebecca, Evan Million , Christie Coats and husband, Josh, and Clifford Thompson. And, ten great-grandchildren include Owen, Olivia, Corbin and Cooper Shockey, Grace and Violet Malone, and Autumn, Matthew, Brooke and Liam Coats.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Heath Shockey, Clint Shockey, Ryan Million, Evan Million, Clifford Thompson and great-grandson Owen Shockey.

Visitation and viewing is scheduled from 1 - 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 8 at J.E. Foust & Son Funeral Home, 523 S. Main, Grapevine, Texas, followed by a memorial service at 2:00 p.m. A private burial will be held Monday, August 9.

Valena was very charitable and passionate about helping American Veterans. She would be honored if you choose to donate to organizations helping Veterans, or to the American Cancer Society.