Obituary for Emogene White
Mrs. Emogene Jeffries White, born on January 1, 1932, in Chattanooga, TN, to the late Jessie James Jeffries and the late Bertha Lou Jeffries, passed away on March 12, 2023, at a local hospital at the age of 91.
Emogene graduated from the "old" Howard High School on Carter Street on the West side of Chattanooga in 1949. She had a passion for nursing and pursued further education at Kirkland Technical High School, with the help of a generous married couple for whom one of her aunts worked. She became a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and worked at Memorial
Hospital in Chattanooga from 1953 to 1993, serving her patients with great care and compassion. She was recognized as Employee of the Month because of her empathetic nature.
Mrs. Pamela M. Kennedy, a close friend and former patient of “Gene”, as she was often called, recalls her loving spirit. “Emogene had been the same since we met about 35 or 40 years ago at the hospital. I was a patient of hers. We became more than friends. We became family. Rest in peace, my loving sister, until we meet again.”
Emogene's husband, James White, affectionately called her "Wonder Woman" due to her ability to excel at multiple tasks. She was a talented cook and baker, with her yeast biscuits being particularly well-loved. She also had a green thumb and took care of at least 40 plants.
Additionally, she was skilled in sewing, thrifty spending, bookkeeping, hosting, photography, board games, TV game shows, poetic writing, Bible scripture memorization, and a dog-lover.
Emogene was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Jesse B. Jeffries (son of Myra Jeffries), and her spouse, James Matthew White, Jr.
She is survived by her adult children, Michael A. White and Sharon E. White; one daughter-in-law, Loretha P. White; one son-in-law, David M. Coleman; two sisters-in-law, Mattie Peterson of Chicago, IL, and Gloria Jean Smith of Riverside, CA; one first cousin, Charles Pressley of Midland, GA; one close cousin, Cheryl K. Greer of Lilburn, GA; and four special friends, Pamela Kennedy and Airine Butts of Chattanooga, Frank Sims of Kansas City, KS, and Ted Patrick of San Diego, CA.
Emogene will be deeply missed but always remembered by her family, friends, and former patients.
Public viewing will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at Greater New Home Missionary
Baptist Church, located at 2809 13th Avenue, followed by a service at 12:00 PM. Interment will take place at Chattanooga National Cemetery, with gate time at 2:00 PM.
Arrangements by John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Avenue, 423-622-9995
Emogene graduated from the "old" Howard High School on Carter Street on the West side of Chattanooga in 1949. She had a passion for nursing and pursued further education at Kirkland Technical High School, with the help of a generous married couple for whom one of her aunts worked. She became a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and worked at Memorial
Hospital in Chattanooga from 1953 to 1993, serving her patients with great care and compassion. She was recognized as Employee of the Month because of her empathetic nature.
Mrs. Pamela M. Kennedy, a close friend and former patient of “Gene”, as she was often called, recalls her loving spirit. “Emogene had been the same since we met about 35 or 40 years ago at the hospital. I was a patient of hers. We became more than friends. We became family. Rest in peace, my loving sister, until we meet again.”
Emogene's husband, James White, affectionately called her "Wonder Woman" due to her ability to excel at multiple tasks. She was a talented cook and baker, with her yeast biscuits being particularly well-loved. She also had a green thumb and took care of at least 40 plants.
Additionally, she was skilled in sewing, thrifty spending, bookkeeping, hosting, photography, board games, TV game shows, poetic writing, Bible scripture memorization, and a dog-lover.
Emogene was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Jesse B. Jeffries (son of Myra Jeffries), and her spouse, James Matthew White, Jr.
She is survived by her adult children, Michael A. White and Sharon E. White; one daughter-in-law, Loretha P. White; one son-in-law, David M. Coleman; two sisters-in-law, Mattie Peterson of Chicago, IL, and Gloria Jean Smith of Riverside, CA; one first cousin, Charles Pressley of Midland, GA; one close cousin, Cheryl K. Greer of Lilburn, GA; and four special friends, Pamela Kennedy and Airine Butts of Chattanooga, Frank Sims of Kansas City, KS, and Ted Patrick of San Diego, CA.
Emogene will be deeply missed but always remembered by her family, friends, and former patients.
Public viewing will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at Greater New Home Missionary
Baptist Church, located at 2809 13th Avenue, followed by a service at 12:00 PM. Interment will take place at Chattanooga National Cemetery, with gate time at 2:00 PM.
Arrangements by John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Avenue, 423-622-9995