Virginia Howes White “Mrs. Gardner W.,” a proper-yet-independent Bostonian woman, who had lived in the house of her birth for 100 years, began the journey towards her next adventure on Dec. 14, 2022. At the time of her passing, Mrs. White was enjoying the beauty of this year’s newly arrived Christmas tree, artfully decorated with a collection of ornaments gathered across the decades.
A home economics graduate from Framingham Teacher’s College, Mrs. White spent the majority of her career as an educator teaching at the high school level within the Boston School System. To her last days, Mrs. White’s students – whose lives her innovative and caring teaching style made a positive impact upon – remained in contact with her, continuing to seek guidance and to include her in their lives. Mrs. White also put her home economics skills to good use making altar cloths for St. Paul’s Cathedral, quilts for friends’ new arrivals, her own fraternal gowns, corn bags, and household decor.
Mrs. White was often in charge of planning both the festive theme and appropriate edible treats for fraternal collations and church coffee hours, as well as afternoon teas, waffle brunches, and other gatherings in her Victorian home using recipes from her extensive, historic cookbook collection.
Resulting from her interest in local history, Mrs. White held Sturbridge Village’s longest membership to date with 65 years. Each year she invited friends to accompany her to Friends’ Day at the village. Virginia also supported the Victorian Society, the Dorchester Historical Society, Historic New England, and the Plimoth Patuxet.
Later in her life Virginia married the late Gardner W. White at the Wayside Inn. They enjoyed square dancing, as well as attending and presiding at fraternal functions as a couple. Although Mrs. White never had children of her own, she often took the children of friends and neighbors under her wing, providing a safe haven, sage advice, and support through difficult times. Through her memory, she continues to be mentor and role model to the younger generations she touched, with these young people beginning to marry and raise families of their own. Throughout her life there were always one or more special felines keeping Mrs. White company.
Mrs. White’s life exemplifies the role of volunteerism and community service through leadership roles within her church community, the Massachusetts Association of Family and Consumer Science, the George Demeter Unit of the National Association of Parliamentarians, the Viking Club, and Fraternal organizations (Order of the Eastern Star, Amaranth, White Shrine and Rebekahs), to name a few. To have the skills needed to be an exemplary leader, to advocate for the causes she believed in, and to coordinate meetings and conferences for the organizations with which she was affiliated, Mrs. White returned to college mid-career in order to obtain a master’s degree in public relations from Boston University.
A world traveler from a young age, Mrs. White had visited countries across five continents and two oceans. Joined by her niece, Marianne, she cruised on all three of the Queens, climbed the Great Wall of China, created Thanksgiving dinner for newlyweds Michael and Ale at their home in Brussels, and took cooking classes in Paris and Argentina. With her big sister Barbara, she passed through the Panama Canal. Mrs. White was always inviting friends and family members to join her on her favorite cruise from Black Falcon pier in Boston to Bermuda. Growing up, Virginia and Barbara took a bicycle ride from the family’s summer cottage in Marshfield, “The Dorchester,” to visit relatives on the Cape. They also had their own summer bake stand!
Marianne Pinkham, Virginia’s niece, and Catherine, Michael, Joseph, Kevin, and Jess Durickas, and Tony and My Nguyen, invite friends of the family and community whose lives were blessed and strengthened through Mrs. White’s grace, dignity and kindness to join them at the First Parish Church, 10 Parish St. in Dorchester, at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 30, for the wake and memorial service giving thanks for the wonderful person that she was and will continue to be through each of us.
A burial ceremony will be held at 1:15 p.m. at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Mass. where Mrs. White will be laid to rest by her husband, Gardner. To share in the beauty of Virginia’s favorite colors, please attend in shades of white, yellow and blue. As a tribute to Mrs. White’s sense of fashion wear a hat!
We wish to share with you the memories we have of Virginia’s rich life. By giving of herself through service to her community and profession, Mrs. White wove a thread of faith, hope, creativity, integrity, and lifelong learning through the lives of all who had the privilege of being welcomed into her world. When you have a moment, please take time to discover some snapshots and vignette of this remarkable woman’s world by going to virginiawhite.org.
Arrangements are entrusted to the McHoul Funeral Home in Dorchester, Mass. For more information, go to mchoulfh.com.
Floral bouquets are gratefully declined. In lieu tribute donations can be made to Animal Rescue League of Boston at tinyurl.com/ycxpa7w2; Franklin Park Zoo at zoonewengland.org/franklin-park-zoo.aspx; or Strubridge Village at 10797.blackbaudhosting.com/10797/AF-Fall.
