Jean White

Jean White, Matriarch of the White/Smith/Millender family, was born in Detroit, Michigan on September 30, 1928 to Marie Chandler (deceased) and a father she hardly knew. She was the eldest of three siblings: Dolores Marie Norman and Joseph Herbert Chandler Jr., (both deceased). Jean accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit. She was a devoted life-long member of TAB and for as long as she was able. On Sunday mornings Jean could be seen sitting in the front pew of the balcony continuing a seating preference started by her Mother when services were held at old TAB on Beechwood and Milford. Jean helped establish the child development center at the new TAB and was part of the “Up and Doing” group.

Jean was educated in the Detroit Public Schools: Trowbridge Elementary, Garfield Junior High and Northeastern High. She proudly recalled her first teaching opportunity - - one of her elementary teachers asked Jean to take over the class when there was no sub. Education was important to Jean. She worked part-time to finance her way through Wayne State University where she earned Bachelors’ and Master’s degrees in Education and Education Administration. Jean taught at Boynton Elementary, Nobel Middle and Northern High schools and was a Career Education Specialist at George and Campbell Elementary and Murray-Wright High school. After a wonderful and successful 50+ year career in the Detroit Public School System as English teacher, Reading Specialist, and Career Education Specialist, Jean retired as an Assistant Principal at Keidan Elementary.

Jean was married to Sylvester “DeBoe” White who preceded her in death earlier this year, almost 5 months to the day. From this union of 67 years three children were born; Sylvia Joann, Debra Jean, and Keith Joseph. Each followed in their Mother’s tradition of education and earned multiple degrees. Jean treasured her family. Most summers were spent traveling throughout the United States by auto, often visiting Jefferson City, Missouri her husbands’ hometown. It was through these visits that Sylvia, Debbie and Keith developed a close bond with their first cousins Gary and June, a bond that continues today. Summer vacation was also a time for learning. At the beginning of the summer Jean gave her children age appropriate reading lists with the expectation of completing a new book every other week and writing a book report, which she graded. Years later, you’d find her joyfully reading to her grand-children, twins Danielle Marie and Candice Joanne. Oh the stories she could tell about the adventures she had with those two!!!

Travel, adventure and exploration brought Jean much joy. She traveled to many parts of the United States and the world including Rio de Janerio Brazil for carnival, Hawaii, Alaska, Bermuda, New York, Germany, London, Paris, Greece, and many of the states along the east and west coast, to name a few.

A quiet spirit, Jean loved to read - mysteries were her favorite. When she wasn’t reading you might find her working a crossword puzzle in ink, [credit her Latin classes], watching her favorite TV programs: ‘Jeopardy’, ‘Wheel of Fortune’, Family Feud with Steve Harvey, anything on the Game Show Network, PBS and the Hallmark Channel. Jean enjoyed the arts – museums, the theater, the ballet, and dance concerts. She would tell you that as a child, Saturdays were spent at the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Main Detroit Public Library; she called them her playground. She loved learning and was lucid, alert and communicative until she took her final breath.

Jean was fun-loving, and easy to laugh. She loved socializing with her friends, especially her bridge club of 50+ years, the Nino-Bridgette’s. She was also affiliated with DARPS, ROSAS, the Bagley Community Council, and was on the Board of Advisors for the Detroit-Windsor Dance Academy. In 1987 she fulfilled a long held dream when she was initiated into Delta Sigma Theta Public Service Sorority, Detroit Alumnae chapter, continuing the legacy of her sister, daughters and niece June. She had many fond memories of pledging, her “49 Fine” line sisters, and the Delta Dears.

Those who knew her would characterize Jean as smart, intelligent, a good leader, speaker and communicator. She loved solving problems and was a deep thinker. But most of all Jean loved helping others and seeing children excel, especially those in need of special attention. Without fan-fare or accolades, she is personally responsible for many friends, students, strangers attending college. It wasn’t unusual to see her at the dining room table helping a high school student complete a college or job application. It was always about learning and the children.

Jean leaves many to cherish and remember her wonderful and joyful spirit, and celebrate her incredible life including: her children Sylvia Joann Elliott, Debra Jean White-Hunt (Bruce Hunt), and Keith Joseph White; twin granddaughters Danielle Marie and Candice Joanne Elliott of Atlanta, GA; niece June White of Kansas City, MO nephew Gary Wayne White (Jeanette), and great niece Malkia White, of St. Louis, MO; and dear friends Frances Mackie, Alma Greer, Eddie Mae Huwitte and many cousins too numerous to name. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations (tax-deductible) be made to the Detroit-Windsor Dance Academy, “Jean White Scholarship Fund”, 3031 W. Grand Blvd.
Ste 350, Detroit, MI 48202.

My Dearest Mom,
Thank you for preparing me for all of the seasons of my life... Teaching and guiding me through my childhood and season of my youth.
I don't know what I would have done without you by my side during the season of being a new Mom and with Twins no less. :)
I've always felt your quiet strength, known your unconditional love, wisdom, and support. You taught me the power of prayer and the patience of Job.
Thank you for preparing me for this season, which right now seems the most difficult.
But we both knew this time was coming and in your quiet way you prepared me for this also.
Thank you for giving me this sense of comfort and peace I feel today.
I love you, but you know that!
I can't say good-bye, I'll just say, until we meet again.....

Forever your first born and Friend,
Sylvia Joann

Our Grandmothers' gifts of LOVE to us are:

❤ A lifetime of memories
❤ Her quiet strength and confidence; her comfort and guidance
❤ Sunday Family dinners cooked with love
❤ Warm cinnamon rolls, back rubs and a walk around the track
❤ Enjoying "Girls Day Out" for lunch and a movie
❤ Her big warm smile, her hug, her kiss, her laugh, and a hand to hold
❤ Instilling in us the importance of an education and a love for reading
❤ Speaking proper English; it's "ask not axe"
❤ Giving us the confidence that we could do anything we put our mind to
❤ Saying "Good" in her special way!!!
❤ Her patient and helpful voice on the phone when we cooked our first Thanksgiving dinner

We know that she is ALWAYS and FOREVER in our hearts; Our super role model now our Guardian Angel!

Debbie’s Ramblings,
What a blessing to be able to spend the last 3 days of my mom’s life by her side all night in her hospital room. Ma said she was tired. Though very lucid, and spiritually strong, she no longer had the physical strength to do the activities of her youth. It was a blessing that she had no physical pain. She slept more and ate less. She watched her game shows on TV and she said she was just waiting on the Lord to come for her. Rev. Green, who was in the room at the time said, “don’t just wait, but talk to Him”. As she grew more weary and unable to enjoy a quality of life that was her norm, she told me to be prepared. She said you, your sister and brother are to have No regrets. You did all that you could for me. We are not in control. I asked her was she afraid. She said, NO, NO, not at all. We held hands, talked, sat in the silence and we even laughed. She came home to her earthly home and that same day went to her heavenly home.
Spending the last year of ma’s life as her transport to and from dialysis gave me a special time.
Even in her non-desire for dialysis she demonstrated qualities befitting royalty. She was punctual, prepared, co-operative, pleasant, dressed to the nines (by my sister) and full of fun.
Ma enjoyed each of her children in her own special way. For me, I grew more and more in love with the woman who birthed me, raised me, and gave me the opportunity to follow my unorthodox artistic dreams. She knew best how to raise this ‘free spirit’ and let me fly high, yet was there to catch me when I fell. She dressed us up, braided my sister and I’s hair (adorned with matching ribbons), and took us to every public event Detroit had to offer, even when blacks were not welcomed with open arms. She was at all of our 33 years of DWDA concerts, Crystal Balls, and volunteered at the studio…. up until the last 2 years.
She was a strong parent, though she once told me she hadn’t planned to have children. We could beg for something, till there was no more meal in the barrel, and if she didn’t think it was in our best interest, (like attending the week-end party at the neighborhood hoodlums house, lol) we could forget it. No meant No! She didn’t budge, relent, or seem concerned that we were not happy with her decision. She politely sat at the kitchen table doing her crossword puzzle….thus her nickname “Mean Jean”. I will miss my mom, but carry her legacy, her name and her facial expressions (that sometimes got us both in trouble), lol. She was my girl, my teacher, my proofreader, my role model, my MOTHER.
When God made her, He threw away the mold.
Debra Jean, your namesake, the educator, your middle child.