Leonora H. (Kydd) Whyte, 102, of New Bedford, died peacefully December 16, 2013 at Hathaway Manor Extended Care Facility. She was the wife of the late William Darcey Whyte.
Born in New Bedford, the daughter of the late William L. and Clara (King) Kydd, she lived in New Bedford all her life.
She was a lifelong member of Bethel A.M.E. Church, and was the fourth generation of her family to be an active member in the church.
Mrs. Whyte was a member of the YWCA of SEMA, the NAACP, Martha Briggs Educational Club, New Bedford Historical Society, and Church Women United. She was an avid Boston Red Sox fan and Boston Celtics fan, and enjoyed travel and adventures.
She is survived by her four children: daughter Yvonne Drayton of New Bedford, son Russell Whyte and his wife Jacqualine of Palm Coast, FL, daughter Linda Whyte (Toatley) Burrell and her husband Edward of Hope Valley, RI, and son Geoffrey Whyte and his wife Frances of Santa Rosa, CA. She also leaves six grandsons: Joseph A. Drayton, Jr. of New Bedford, Christopher Drayton of Washington, DC, , Gordon Manson of Roslindale, MA, Gerimaya Whyte of Three Rivers, CA, Stephen Whyte of Tucker, GA, and Peter Toatley of Willits, CA; and four granddaughters: Rev. Susan Saunders of Columbia, MD, Jamillah Mussington of Kingston, RI, and Elraya Bennett and Darci Rose Whyte, both of Santa Rosa. Other survivors are her nine great-grandchildren, and two nephews, William and Douglas Kydd, both of Reading, MA.
Her Funeral Service will be held on Sunday at 4 PM in the Bethel A.M.E. Church. The Service will be preceded by visitation at the church from 2-4 PM. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Bethel A.M.E. Church Building Fund, 532 County St., New Bedford, MA 02740. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.