Eleanor Fay White

When Eleanor White retired from her career at Rowan Drilling Company, her son wrote a short speech called “My Hero”. He was not the only person in Eleanor’s life that expressed that sentiment over the years.

Born Eleanor Fay Sirmons in Overton, TX in 1937, she was a product of a family coping with the aftermath of the great depression. She learned the value of hard work, family values and honest living while growing up in the oil fields of Louisiana and Texas.

She Graduated from Robert E Lee High School in Baytown, TX and went to the University of Texas where she performed as a twirler in the Marching Band.

She held several professional positions early in life and ended up starting a family in Arlington, TX. She served faithfully with the Junior League of Arlington and was honored with the Yellow Rose award. Her son Darren was born in 1970, and Eleanor devoted her time to raising him and still working in the community. She was an accomplished golfer and tennis player whose name ended up on more than one trophy at both the Shady Valley Golf Club and the Wimbledon Raquet Club in Arlington.

She and Darren moved to Houston in 1977 where she began a career with Rowan. She became a valuable part of the Personnel Department and eventually managed the employment and lost time accident areas in the company. At one point she was named the editor and photographer for the company magazine. She served on multiple industry and regulatory committees that helped shape various workplace standards.

During her time at Rowan, she gained the admiration of her colleagues and was nicknamed “Miss El-Ner” by the rig workers from Louisiana and Mississippi. She was often referred to as the “company Mom”, since she was the first one called when someone was injured or needed help.

Keep in mind…” Miss El-Ner” maintained her highest priority as a mother. Along the way she served as room mom, band mom, booster club secretary for the Memorial High School football team and all-around neighborhood mom to all Darren’s buddies.

After 24 years with Rowan, Eleanor really went to work! She became a grandmother to Darren’s 3 children, volunteered at her church and she joined the Village Republican Women’s organization where she held multiple leadership roles. She served as a voter registrar and even completed classes so she could carry a concealed handgun at the age of 80. She stayed so busy that the beautifully crafted wooden rocking chair she received as a retirement gift still sits unused in a corner of her house.

Through all of this she had constant factors in her life that she considered her source of strength. Her best friend Jane, Her loving family and her faith in Christ.

Her son often joked that his mother would run full speed as long as possible and then go straight to heaven. While everyone agrees this happened far too soon, that is exactly what God had planned. While her knees were a bit wobbly, she was still extremely active and had lots of plans. During the second week of June 2026, Eleanor drove to Camp Strake and spent time hiking around the camp with her grandson’s Boy Scout troop. Barely a month later, just after midnight, on July 18, she went to be with her Lord and Savior. One of her close friends said on that day, “the streets of heaven are shaking because of the celebration that Eleanor has arrived!”

She loved her Family. She loved her country. She loved God and wanted everyone around her to know HIM.

Eleanor is survived by her brother and his wife, Reagan and Betty Sirmons, her son and his wife Darren and Leanne White. She has 3 beloved Grandchildren plus a new family member, Joshua White and his fiancé Brynn Alford, Isabelle White and James White.

She had 2 nephews whom she loved dearly, Reagan Sirmons and his wife Tami. Reagan has two children, Chase and Remi. Kevin Sirmons and his wife Cyndi have two children, Avery and Reid.

Jane Baugh has been Eleanor’s closest friend and confidante for over 60 years.

She was a Hero to us all!

The family kindly requests that anyone wishing to send flowers have them delivered to Houston's First Baptist Church on Wednesday morning.