Carol Ann (Robertson) White, passed away on May 25, 2018 at the age of 78. Mother of Timothy and Ted (Kathy). Grandmother of Jacob, Brittany, and Daniel. Sister of John, William (Barbara), and the late Judith Neihoff and Thomas. Sister-In-law of Shirley Robertson and loving nephews Mark and David.
As a polio survivor since age seven she was a resident at the Warm Springs, Georgia, treatment facility founded by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Carol attended Oakman Elementary Orthopedic School in Detroit and graduated from Cass Tech High School. She received a Bachelor’s degree from University of Detroit. While attending, she was the driver for her student car pool. Carol was extremely athletic competing in bowling, shot put, javelin, and discus. In 1964, she went on to compete in the New York Track and Field Games which was the qualifier for the Para-Olympic Games in Tokyo.
After graduation, she worked as an accountant. Soon thereafter, she married Patrick White and had two sons, Timothy and Ted. Pat along with Carol’s brother, Tom, owned a chain of “record and tape” stores throughout southeast Michigan for many years. Carol acted as the company’s bookkeeper. She eventually inherited a store of her own located in downtown Plymouth and ran that business for many years. Finally, becoming a landlord after purchasing the property.
Carol’s parents, Helen and Fred, were eccentric…and like Carol, loved all, and took anyone in. She frequently woke up and would find several new people in their home. Carol was extremely close with her four siblings. Judy was her intellectual, artistic older sister whom she looked up to and was her mentor. Tom was her funny, quirky, older brother who lived around the corner who “stopped by” after 11 almost nightly for his daily check-in. Johnny is her younger developmentally disabled brother who looked up to Carol as a mother. Bill is her easy going, level-headed youngest brother, and weekly Tuesday dinner date, along with her sister-in-law, Barbara. Sister-in-law, Shirley, was like her real sister and was her longtime partner in crime. Carol loved all of her siblings dearly and they couldn’t have asked for a more caring sister.
She cherished Tim and Ted. They could not have asked for a better mom. Being in a wheelchair was absolutely no obstacle to her parenting. She was there for them through everything…no matter what. She would describe Tim as independent, passionate, and high maintenance, and missed him dearly residing in Long Beach, California. Ted was her spunky child who grew up to be such a devoted, helpful son always available to her. Tim, Ted, her daughter-in-law, Kathy, and her grandchildren filled her life with joy (and angst!). Jacob being her first grandchild was spoiled, Brittany her only granddaughter was “Gramma’s Girl”, and Danny her youngest grandchild provided her with years of cheering for him at hockey games. Her grandkids could always make a request for a new outfit, shoes, or tires and it would be granted. They will all tell you that she never said “no”.
Growing up, “Mrs. White” was a mother like all the rest. Yes, she was in a wheelchair, but beyond that, Tim and Ted’s friends saw nothing else different. She threw birthday parties, swam in the pool, bowled on the subdivision league, was a school “room mother”, on the PTA, member of pinochle, bridge and The Ladies Clubs, and lifetime subdivision board member. Her famous home-made square pizza will go down in history. She made it on her wheelchair “board” using Jiffy box crust, “hamburg” and mozzarella cheese all over the top! Tim and Ted’s friends could and would call her for anything no matter what time of day.
In a May 22, 1964, Detroit Free Press front page article about Carol being a wheelchair athlete, she discussed how many people in wheelchairs hesitated to go some place where there were stairs…she responded with “I made up my mind that I’m going to go anywhere”. Well, that was certainly an understatement!
The last 25+ years of her life her wheels never stopped rolling. She was the “President” of her Friday night movie club. She described the club as all of her widows and divorcees…but grew to include anyone due to its popularity. For over a decade Carol volunteered at the Birmingham-Bloomfield Art Association (BBAA) annual holiday art show. Living there since 1962, she was on the Board of the Brookwood Estates Subdivision and actively involved in all of the neighborhood events. She was a hockey mom and grandma, starting back with Ted playing as a child, all the way to grandson, Danny playing now.
Carol was frequently in her car driving here and there. She’d chauffeur people all over the place. She could be found at 12 am shopping at any store that was open 24 hours. Carol would love a good sale and had her coupons and Groupons ready. She always felt she had to get that good deal (even if it wasn’t) for something she most likely didn’t even need. Everyone knows that she was a night owl and needed less sleep than most. With her purchases, Carol had a gift, a crown, or a cut-out or a little something for her many friends and family. Her living room seemed to have a line of gift bags ready to be given when she saw that person next. Her kitchen table was always strewn with notes, addresses, and cards to be mailed out--- never missing an acknowledgement of something important. She had an affinity to cutting out newspaper articles that she or someone else just might need. All who knew her knew that she had to retain all of her “important stuff”. That means just about everything. She knows she left her family with many memories to sort, keep, clean, donate, sell, and throw away!!!
What would Carol be without her karaoke? This activity and its wonderful community became an enormous part of her life. It first started in Greektown Trapper’s Alley, where she was first just a wheelchair wallflower observing the talent. Over time, Carol developed strong friendships and loved to sing. Many of her family and friends outside of karaoke were astonished that she was singing on the “circuit” and that she had such a beautiful voice. Like everything else Carol was involved in she embraced her karaoke friends, and they most certainly embraced her dearly. Could she be called the Grande Dame of the Signature Grill? We certainly think this might be the case. Her Thursday nights meant the world to her. She cherished and planned her life around “heading downtown” and everyone knew where to find her. It was the strong, loving friendships she made that kept her Thursday nights taken for so, so long.
Over the last few years, Carol was assisted by many wonderful caregivers whom she brought into all of her activities, family, and life. They were such good sports about Miss Carol dragging them to every restaurant, movie, hair appointment, hockey game, shower, wedding, birthday, karaoke, Costco trip, Hallmark, and funeral. Her family appreciates everything they did for her, especially the friendships. She made so many hospital visits to friends and family through rain, sleet, or snow. And, everybody knows that Carol would absolutely never miss a funeral. If she knew you (or ever met you) she was going to attend your funeral. She wanted everyone to know that they were loved.
There are so many people that have been part of her life for so long, from her childhood friends, lifelong subdivision friends, Polio Support Group members, and the Beauty Shop gang. Children and grandchildren of all of her friends also became a big part of her life. It’s difficult to express how each and every person meant so much to her. Carol had never ending friends. We appreciate all the of the friendship, fun, and memories you gave her throughout her life. (Good luck to Tim and Ted deciphering her address book.)
Carol was a connoisseur of obituaries and we certainly hope this makes her proud. Carol loved unconditionally. She cared deeply for others. She wanted everyone to know, and to feel, her unconditional love. You felt good in her presence. She made you feel good about yourself and life. She never wanted any pity, and to know Carol is to totally forget that she’s in a wheelchair. Her impact was huge. Her spirit was huge. There was no other. Our world was a better place with her in it. Her spirit will live on…
Visitation Thursday, May 31, from 1:30-9pm at Harry J Will Funeral Home, 37000 Six Mile Rd, Livonia, and continues on Friday, June 1 at 10am until the time of the service at 1pm also at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Michigan Polio Network Inc, (501c3)
1530 Fairholme Rd, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236.
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