Christine was a devoted wife and mother who always wore a smile and put the needs of others before her own. Her life was centered around the light and love of Jesus Christ, which she effortlessly shared with everyone she met.
She is survived by her loving husband, Arthur (Bain) White, Jr., her sister Janet E. Dodds, her sister-in-law Kyong S. Draves, her son Arthur B. White, III, daughter-in-law Natalie M. White, granddaughters Sierrah M. White and Sydney V. Distin, grand son-in-law Broder E. Distin, great grandson Everett A. Distin, daughter Heather Christine Kovac, son-in-law Jason D. Kovac, and granddaughter Emma S. Kovac. She is preceded in death by her parents Ernest Everett Draves and Sibyl Mary Smyth, and her brother Douglas A. Draves.
Christine met Bain in Spanish class at W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia in 1967. They were married on October 5th, 1968. Bain enlisted in the US Army, and after his deployment to Korea they moved to Ft. Huachuca, Arizona where they welcomed the birth of their son Arthur. A couple of years later found them living near Honolulu, Hawaii where their daughter Heather was born. A few moves later, they settled near Brighton, Colorado where they raised their children through high school and college.
A graduate of the University of Northern Colorado, Christine pursued a career as a substitute teacher in elementary and high schools in Weld County, Colorado. She touched the lives of many students with her kindness and dedication. She was an avid supporter of the 4-H program, helping her kids raise goats, horses, chickens, ducks, rabbits, and dealing with last minute woodworking projects in their youth. She loved nature and hikes and volunteered as a nature guide at Barr Lake State Park near Brighton, Colorado.
Always open to new experiences, she studied alongside her husband Bain to become a private pilot up to the point of doing a solo cross-country flight. She traveled the world with him and family and became a certified rescue scuba diver – traveling to places as distant as Fiji and encouraging her family to explore. She also had the opportunity to travel to Israel and experience the Holy Land multiple times. In Honduras, she spent several weeks improving her Spanish skills and serving the people there. In all her adventures, she never met a stranger and made many lifelong friends.
With her husband, Christine hosted and cared for Tero Rimon, a student from the Solomon Islands, for several years. She also found joy in volunteering at nursing homes in northwest Colorado and assisting her husband in every way at St. Mark's Church of Grace, in Craig, CO, where she worshipped and was also head of the children’s and music ministries. She loved teaching the kids about Jesus!
Memorial services will take place at St. Mark’s Church of Grace in Craig, Colorado at 11am on May 18th, 2024. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you attend the church of your choice when you can and give someone a hug and a smile, reflecting Christine's spirit of love and compassion. A memorial fund has also been established to benefit the children’s and music ministry at St. Mark’s Church of Grace.
Christine Draves White will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all those whose lives she touched. May her memory be a blessing to all who knew her.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.11.1