Ellen Scearce White

January 29, 1932 - October 4, 2020

Carrie Ellen Scearce White passed away at Brookdale Senior Living on October 4, 2020. Born in the Mount Cross area to Belt W. Scearce and Ida Certis Aaron Scearce on January 29, 1932, she was the second of four children in their farm family. She married James Irvin White, of Blairs, Virginia, on January 5th, 1949. Irvin passed away on December 22, 2002. Through fifty-three years, five children, twelve grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren, they shared many adventures. Ellen was a graduate of Whitmell Farm Life School and worked in Sears and J.C. Penney catalog departments during Christmas seasons. Ellen helped manage the Whitmell cannery for a number of years. She retired from Dan River, Inc., where she worked in quality control. In later years, she managed rental properties that she and her siblings owned. A lifelong member of Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, she worked in Bible School and Sunday School. She sewed costumes for Christmas pageants and robes for the children’s choir. She was the joy and heart of her large family. She provided sage advice, unconditional love, and lots of laughter. Picnics, Christmas dinners, Easter egg hunts, wiener roasts, and countless biscuits will be remembered by her family. Her daughters benefitted from her sewing talents, as she made everything from school clothes to prom dresses to wedding gowns. In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her brothers, Thomas C. Scearce and Homer A. Scearce, and great-grandson, Parker Smith. Her sister, Joan Holley, survives. Ellen is survived by her children, Keith White(Phyllis), Sandra Hylton(Charles), Patricia Jones(Terry), Sheila Smith (Buddy), and Mark White. Her grandchildren are Aaron, Sue, Coleman, Patrick, John, Lydia, Thomas, Conrad, Stuart, and Sarah. Her step-grandchildren are Mia and Jonathan. She is also survived by her numerous great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be conducted on Wednesday, October 7, 2020, at 11:00 AM, in Danville Memorial Gardens, with the Reverend Bob Yeaman and the Reverend Timothy Barth officiating. COVID 19 precautions of social distancing and masks are requested. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, 245 Mount Olivet Lane, Danville, Virginia 24540, or Mount Cross Volunteer Fire Department, Mount Cross Road, Danville, Virginia. Wrenn-Yeatts Westover Chapel is respectfully serving the White Family.