Learah M. White

Learah M. White, age 98, was called home May 27, 2025. She was the eighth of nine children born to Samuel DeWitt McGee and Beulah Agnes Morrow McGee, and the last survivor.

She lived eighty years in Arkansas having been born in Bluff City, Nevada County. Her family moved to Mississippi County when she was five years of age. She lived through the Great Depression and was taught to save and share. You threw nothing away. Her parents were poor but thrifty. There was no drinking, cursing, or carousing in the home, but lots of pitching horse shoes, washers, playing dominoes, checkers and musical instruments. She beat the spoons! Her family were charter members of Number Nine Baptist Church. They donated the belfry bell that still tolls today.

She attended the two-room wooden schoolhouse at Number Nine and graduated from the eighth grade with only three in her class. Her four years of high school were during the four years of World War II. Everything was rationed. She graduated from Blytheville High School and attended Arkansas State Teachers College at Jonesboro for a short time. It is now Arkansas State University.

Just shy of her thirty-first birthday, she married Eulon Estes White, the father of five children – Brenda Kaye, Eulon Edward, Gary Lynn, Michael David and Deborah Jean. Four years later she gave birth to a son, Milton DeWitt, who was welcomed and adored by his older siblings.

Learah worked twenty-three years for Armorel Planting Company as the bookkeeper. She worked twenty-seven years at The First National Bank in Blytheville - fifteen years as a secretary and twelve as the bank’s Internal Auditor.

She was a member of Armorel Baptist Church for forty years, having served in almost every position in the church. The last several years there, she was the Senior Adult Ladies Sunday School teacher and president of Baptist Women which she enjoyed. She was active in all school activities including being president of the PTA. She was also active in Blytheville community events while working at the bank.

Learah moved to Utah at age eighty and enjoyed living in Smithfield and Cache Valley. She attended Alpine Church faithfully. Except for the last few years, she was a walker and enjoyed good health. She bowled every Wednesday with a group of great friends from church. She was an avid reader. After fifty years in the work place, Learah retired and started traveling with her (now deceased) sister, Sue Battles, and a nephew and his wife Larry (now deceased) and Bonnie McGee of Hillsboro, Missouri. She traveled extensively, having crisscrossed the United States from Fairbanks, Alaska to Key West Florida, from Ellis Island, New York to Catalina Island, California, from Mackinac Island, Michigan to Grand Isle, Louisiana. She also toured parts of Canada and Mexico.

In addition to her parents and siblings, she was preceded in death by her husband, Estes, of forty-two years, a son Gary Lynn, son-in-law Sammy Hughes, daughter-in-law Rosalie White, a grandson Shane White, and a granddaughter Brennan Alexandra White. She is survived by her children Brenda Hughes, Eddie White, Dave White, Debbie (Neil) Compton, daughter-in-law Judy White, all of the Little Rock area in Arkansas, and Milt (Georgette) White, of Smithfield. Grandchildren of the home include Josselyn (Isaiah) Jones, Captain Seth White (Ellen) of the United States Marine Corps, and Luke (Haley) White. During her final weeks, she was surrounded by family members including great-grandchildren, Tatum Olivia Jones, Sophie Elizabeth Jones, Micah Robert Jones, and Baker Paul Jones. She leaves behind a host of other grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grand-children. She is survived also by many nieces and nephews.

Interment will be at Elmwood Cemetery in Blytheville, Arkansas on Monday, June 2nd 2025.

The family would like to thank Dr. Faux and Intermountain Hospice for their loving care as well as numerous family and friends for their support and kindness.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Alpine Church for their building fund.

Memories and condolences may be shared and expressed at www.allenmortuaries.com.