Obituary: Thelma White
Thelma White of Atlanta, a former longtime resident of Montclair, died on March 14, 2023. She was 92.
Mrs. White was born in 1930 to Lorenzo F. Goins and Mildred L. Friday in Newark, where she grew up and graduated from Barringer High School.
After graduation, she was employed by RCA as an administrative assistant and by the Newark Public Library while attending Berkeley Secretarial College. In addition, she received a certificate of supervision from Essex Community College and other training and development acknowledgments while working for Adronics/Elrob, an auto parts company.
In 1951 she married George W. Gregory, and they had four children, two boys and two girls, whom they raised in Montclair, where they lived for more than 20 years.
Mrs. White, known as “Thel” to many and as Thelma Gregory while living in Montclair, believed passionately in family and committed herself to the nurturing and development of her children during their early years. She was active in her kids’ education and served on local PTAs and was a teacher’s assistant or class mother at various times.
Later, after three of the children were older, she returned to full-time employment and was eventually promoted to chief quality control supervisor for Adronics/Elrob.
She led a very social, active life, serving as the president of the Montclair chapter of the National Council of Negro Women for several years and participating in many other clubs.
In 1972 she married Richard O. White. They retired to Danville, Virginia, where they joined White Rock Baptist Church, in which she was active as an usher, a leader on the kitchen committee and a member of the Missionaries. She also was a member of the Danville senior citizens community center. She subsequently moved to Atlanta.
Mrs. White was a prideful woman and admired by many for her beauty, strong will, intuition and the emotional intelligence that guided her throughout life. She was most proud of her family.
She is survived by her four children, Ray Hollar Gregory (Michelle), Jacqueline Gregory Langley (Michael), George Wayne Gregory (Kelly) and Stacey L. Howell (Hollis); 11 grandchildren, Dakota, Ryan, Kyle, Dylan, Morgan, Jordan, Jade, Briana, Taylor, Isaiah and Sydney; five great-grandchildren, a goddaughter, April Arroyo, and many nieces, nephews, in-laws, cousins and friends.
She was predeceased by her parents; by her husband, Richard O. White; and by her sister, Helen Goins, and brother, Lorenzo “Larry” Goins Jr.
Services will be held on Friday, March 24, at 11 a.m. at White Rock Baptist Church, Danville.
Arrangements were by Fisher & Watkins Funeral Home, Danville.