Wanda Jean White

Wanda Jean White, 81, of Grove City, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Friday, March 13, 2026, surrounded by the family she had shaped with her enduring love and quiet strength.

Born on December 16, 1944, in Logan County, West Virginia, Wanda was the beloved daughter of Margaret (Madge) Fitchpatrick and the eldest of five siblings: Sylvan, Carrie Lou, Charles Howard, and Sheryl. She shared close bonds with her aunts and uncles, particularly Thurmond Fitchpatrick, Junior Fitchpatrick, Ersel Fitchpatrick, Sanford Fitchpatrick (Buddy), Herbert Fitchpatrick, Catherine Dowden, and Evelyn Linley, holding a special place in her heart for her uncle Buddy. Raised in a family of coal miners, she carried the mountain values of perseverance, sacrifice, and steadfast presence with her when her family moved to Columbus in the late 1950s.

On December 24, 1965, Wanda married Robert L. White, beginning a devoted partnership that spanned sixty years. Together they raised their sons, Jefferey L. White and Stephen Douglas White, and held forever in her heart their infant daughter, Lisa Michelle White, who was born and passed in 1968. Wanda welcomed Kathrine Farley-White as her daughter-in-law in 1988, and later cherished her grandchildren Jacob and Lauren, along with their spouses Madeline and Cayden.

Wanda’s love was expressed through countless small, steady acts of devotion. An avid reader from childhood, she found joy in Stephen King novels and every new issue of Reader’s Digest. Her warm and attentive nature shone in her work in hospitality at the Holiday Inn, as manager of the country-western bar “Kickers,” and later at Shoney’s and Cracker Barrel. She finished her career as a cook for Southwestern City Schools, including at Buckeye Woods Elementary, where she offered comfort and familiarity to generations of students. In retirement she embraced life fully at the E.L. Evans Senior Center, where she formed deep friendships, played cards, became a Wii Bowling champion, attended plays at the Ohio Theatre, enjoyed riverboat rides, and proudly cheered as an honorary “Team Grandmother” for a youth soccer team. A loyal Cleveland Browns fan and supporter of Ohio State Women’s Basketball, she remained a constant, heartfelt presence at her children’s and grandchildren’s events throughout their lives.

Above all, Wanda lived for her family. She created lasting memories with her grandchildren through fishing trips, park visits, spontaneous adventures, and unwavering encouragement. She and Robert continued to share quiet laughter, travels, and simple joys in their retirement years. Her legacy endures in the depth of her compassion, the steadiness of her love, and the warmth she brought to every life she touched.