Sally D. White, 86, of Walpole, passed away peacefully at home on March 16, 2015. Sally was born June 28, 1928, to Raeburn R. Davenport, DDM and Katherine Ranney Davenport. After attending Walpole schools, she graduated from Howard Seminary and Simmons College. She was the beloved wife of the late Thomas M. White, a love affair that was cut short when he died of cancer at 50 years old. Sally was mother to Michael and his wife Susan of Osterville, Tim and his wife Betsy of Hingham, Tom and his wife Peg of Walpole, Greg and his wife Karen of Walpole, Susan and her husband Stephen Manty of Franklin, Dan and his wife Jeanne of Sandwich, Nancy and her husband Jay McDonald of Walpole, and Sally Wade of Needham and her dear friend John Bonnanzio. She was loved by her sisters Kitsie Lindsay of Orange Beach, AL and the late Nancy Davenport of Walpole, as well as by her 24 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren, and her many nieces and nephews.
Sally would often say that she was “engaged in 1950, married in ’51, Michael in ’52, Timmy in ’53, Tommy in ’55, Greg in ’56, Susan in ’57, Danny in ’60, Nancy in ’62, and Sally in ’65.” She had a license plate that read “eight is enough”. Sally was a figure skater, a pianist, a teacher, but mostly she was a wife and a mom.
She lovingly raised her eight children and helped them raise their children. She was Gramma to her 24 grandchildren: Lara, Paul, Jen, Allison, Chris, Mikey, Katie, Thomas, Susie, Neal, Leah, Sally, Brian, Jessica, Greg, Kathleen, Kerry, Dan, Kelsey, Kayleigh, Emily, Mackenzie, Cassie, and Jeff. She was Great-Gramma to her 7 great grandchildren: Audrey, Charlie, Libby, Coco, Colin, Grace and Charlie.
She taught them all the true meaning of family. Her favorite day of the year was the Saturday before Christmas when her family gathered to celebrate their “White Christmas”. She was their rock when two grandchildren passed away unexpectedly and when one grandchild successfully battled a life threatening cancer.
She left more memories than there are stars in the sky, like skating outings at Turner’s Pond, sending her children off to school reciting the “Angel of God”, and calling in her clan for dinner with a cow bell or a whistle. One time while traveling in Ireland with her daughter, Sally made such fast friends with Dolores the cab driver … that Dolores subsequently crossed the pond to stay with Sally and her family in her Walpole home.
Sally gave the greatest gift to her children, their brothers and sisters.
Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, March 18, 2015, from 4:00 to 8:00 pm at the Ginley Funeral Home, 892 Main Street, Walpole. A celebration of Sally’s life will be held on Thursday, March 19, at 10:00 am, at St. Mary’s Church, East Walpole. Interment will follow at St. Francis Cemetery. As Sally was a past chair of her local March of Dimes, in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the March of Dimes by going online or to March of Dimes, attn: DRFR, 1275 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605.