ANJOLEE ATHERTON

1986 - 2020

Anjolee Elizabeth Atherton White danced gracefully into the arms of our Heavenly Father on Sunday, November 22nd surrounded by family in Sherman, Texas, at 34 years of age.
AJ was born to Larry and Robin Atherton on August 9, 1986. At the age of 10, her little brother Austin was born. Her beloved brother was a gift that she was sure God sent to aggravate her in his younger years and be a fierce protector as they were older. She graduated from Sherman High School in 2004, where she was a First Lieutenant and then Captain of the Sherman Hi-Steppers. AJ was one of the first employees of Red River Title Company, where she met her bonus mom, Doris Caston. She spent 13 years working with her family at RRTC. She attended Collin County Community College and Grayson College, where she received her Associate's Degree. She continued her education with Southeastern Oklahoma State University, pursuing her teaching degree. In preparation for a teaching career, AJ worked for SISD at Dillingham as a teacher aide during the 2018-2019 school year.
AJ was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2013. Two months later she became reacquainted with Andrew White, who became the love of her life. AJ and Andrew were married on July 2, 2016. Unfortunately, the cancer reared its ugly head again in September 2018, when AJ was only a semester away from completing her teaching degree. Andrew loved and cared for AJ through years of treatments and surgeries. AJ became the proud mother of Alexa Jolee "Lexee" Mawford, the light of her life, and also a loving bonus mom of Clay White. Their family are proud members of the First United Methodist Church in Sherman.
AJ was happiest when she was home with her family and their fur babies: Athena, Gypsy and Furbee. She loved making trips to Port Aransas with her family and two best friends, Tara Brantley Harrison and Kasie Walker. A passionate traveler, AJ was able to see Yellowstone with her family earlier this year and also to make a Mother-Daughter trip to Washington state in 2019. She enjoyed several other shorter RV trips to see family and enjoy nature. In her younger days, she loved dancing with Kristina's Studio of Dance and performing with the SHS Hi-Steppers.
AJ was supported by many, many friends and family members throughout her battle with breast cancer. A true princess warrior, she was rarely seen without a smile on her face, even during her seven-year battle. AJ spread joy and kindness wherever she went. She is dearly missed and will always be remembered as a kind and loving mother, wife, daughter, niece, cousin, friend, and so much more.
Visitation will be held on Friday, December 4, from 6-8pm at Dannel Funeral Home and on Saturday, December 5th at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Sherman.
Anjolee was predeceased by her paternal grandparents, Olan and Josephine Atherton; maternal grandparents, Wayne and Nancy Teague; great-grandparents, Tom W. Teague and Euna of Sherman; also W. T. Dollins and Dorothy; and her great-great-grandfather John Kenney. When Anjolee was born, she completed five living generations of the Kenney family and is the eighth-generation Texan for the Teague family.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Austin Atherton, Dennis Teague, Andrew Teague, Drew Teague, Will Atherton, Clayton White, Travis Teague, Walter Huffman, Richard Saffa and B. J. Johnson, along with all of AJ's pink sisters from Women Rock, who have loved and supported her through the last seven years.
Anjolee will be deeply missed by her husband Andrew White of Sherman, 10-year old daughter Alexa Jolee Mawford, 16-year old bonus son Clayton White. Also her parents Larry and Robin Atherton of Sherman, brother Austin Atherton and fiancée (sister-in-love, as AJ called her) Zoey Hall, beloved Uncles Dennis Teague of Dallas, Andrew Teague and Aunt Vickie of Pottsboro, Jeff Atherton and Aunt Beth of Austin, her first cousins, Drew Teague, Madison Parker, Travis Teague, Will Atherton and family, Lucy Atherton Barrow and family, her loving in-laws Robert and Debbie White, as well as many other precious cousins and friends.
If AJ were here, she would tell young women to do their self-exams and get regular mammograms as soon as they could. Encourage other women in your life to get a mammogram! If you can't afford a mammogram, contact Women Rock! She would tell you to love wide and deep and above all else, to be kind!
Memorials can be made to Women Rock, First United Methodist Church Youth Group, or Grayson County Home Hospice. AJ's family will be honoring her memory by helping a local family facing breast cancer with their Christmas needs each year, a passion AJ held dear. AJ wants to pay it forward!
The family wishes to extend their sincere thanks to Women Rock, Dr. Roque, Dr Heffernan, Michelle Roberts, the entire staff of Texas Oncology, Grayson County Home Hospice, Dorie Poe, Vickie Putman, Kasie Walker, Tara Brantley Harrison, Katie Gundersheimer Poyner and last but not the least, Doris Caston, her bonus Mom.