Grace Margaret Sabatier White's Obituary
Grace Margaret Sabatier White, wife, mother, grandmother, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at her home in Memphis, TN. In her last years, she experienced progressive dementia while maintaining a gracious and accommodating demeanor, blessing many whom she encountered.
Grace was born on November 24, 1924 in Marvell, Arkansas to father Rene Julian Sabatier and mother Kathryn (Katie) Plattner.
She was the second born in a family of seven children: brothers Charles, Rene, Albert, Raymond, Herbert and a sister, Renabelle. Grace and her family grew up on a farm in east Arkansas during the Great Depression. In stories bathed in gratitude, she would recount having to cuddle in bed with her sister at night to keep warm while they heard the chickens squawking in the porch below them. Her mother died when Grace was 6 and as the older sister, Grace had many responsibilities, especially after both her grandmothers died a few years later. It was tempting for her to forego the long walk to school (sometimes the milkman would give her and her siblings a lift) but nevertheless, she persisted. When she turned 18, she bravely moved to Memphis, taking a series of jobs, including at Southern Leather Company, Southwestern College (Rhodes) and Julian Lewis Department Store. In Memphis, she met her great love, Robert (Bob) Mitchell White, on a blind date. One year later on January 5, 1950, they were married. Their love and unity grew stronger during their 70 years of marriage before Bob passed away on July 30, 2020. In 1983, Grace made a confession of faith in Christ.
Grace was also predeceased by her beloved oldest son, Robert Mitchell White, Jr. (Mitch), her parents and siblings.
She is survived by her children, Rene Eugene White (Carmen Victor), Barry Jeffries White and Larry Jeffries White (Loretta Church White) and daughter-in-law Jody White (Mitch). Grace's 8 grandchildren include Teddy, Albert, Rex, Beatrix, Margaret, Caris, Rene and Olivia. She also leaves behind many nieces and nephews.
Grace's favorite job for over 10 years was assisting the Headmaster at Presbyterian Day School, a school for boys in East Memphis. She was also a hostess, friend, event planner, organizer and companion at the Embassy Apartments when her husband Bob managed the facility. Her calling, however, was as a caregiver and wife to Bob and mother to her sons. Her home was a respite for her family and many others over the years. She expertly cooked and meticulously cleaned daily for her family and whoever else showed up. She encouraged and supported the aspirations of her boys, allowing her sons to dream, aspire and live life wherever it took them. She delighted in her grandchildren and even when they were grown, she would play and tease and joke with them, showering them with affection. She was gracious and kind to everyone she met, quick to lend a hand to neighbors and friends and the poor around Memphis.
The family is eternally grateful for the superlative care that Grace and Bob received in their long good-byes . . . Their Care Manager through the years, Juanita McDonald and a team of eminently professional aides including Virginia Dean, Eugenia Hammond, Margaret Bryson, Gwen Dandridge and Glenn McDonald ensured that every part of their lives was overseen and cushioned with practical care and grace.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 13 at 3:00 p.m. in the Fireside Chapel of Memorial Park Funeral Home
To view the service online, please click on the link below;
http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/76574/hash:96E52FA603B31B06
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