Gladys Cauthorne White

Gladys White Obituary

JAMAICA - Gladys Cauthorne White of Jamaica, Va., died on Sunday, May 11, 2003, at the Medical College of Virginia Hospital in Richmond. She was 90 years old. A native of Ozeana, Va. (now Dunnsville), she was the daughter of the late James Webb Cauthorne and Ida Smith Cauthorne. Ms. White attended the public schools of Essex County and graduated from the Rappahannock Industrial Academy in 1927. She earned her high school diploma from Virginia State High School in 1928, a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia State College (now Virginia State University in 1933, and a Master of Science from the same institution in 1942. Later she pursued a doctorate degree at Columbia University in New York City. She was an educator in the public schools of Essex, King and Queen, Mathews, King William, and Middlesex Counties for more than 30 years. She retired from teaching in 1966. Later, she became a licensed funeral director and joined her husband in the operation of Tidewater Funeral Home, a business they owned for more than forty years. Ms. White is survived by her husband of 61 years, Randolph Cuyler White; a daughter, Bessida Cauthorne White and her husband, Philip N. Bladen, of Richmond, Va.; and a granddaughter, Lauren Cauthorne Bladen-White of Washington, D.C. She was preceded in death by her other daughter, Bernadette Montague White. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at Angel Visit Baptist Church, Dunnsville, Va. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 16, at the church where Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will conduct a memorial service at 6:30 p.m. Funeral arrangements are being handled by White-Tidewater Funeral Home, Jamaica, Va., the business formerly owned by Ms. White and her husband.

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Published by Los Angeles Times on May 15, 2003.

Memories and Condolences
for Gladys White

16 Entries

Mary Ellen Dungee

June 2, 2003

We were so sorry to learn of the passing of your loved one, Sis Gladys but may the joys that this dynamic, wise, dedicated,and friendly woman, brought to you when you became a part of her life, sustain and comfort you through this most difficult period: (Albert, Mary Ellen, Louanna , and Jack.}

LINDA MORRIS

May 17, 2003

SORRY TO HEAR OF YOUR LOST. SORRY I AM UNABLE TO TO BE THERE, MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS.

Daryl Jones

May 17, 2003

May God bless your family in this time of sorrow. --jones family

george robinson

May 17, 2003

My dear cousin may god bless you and your love ones and bring comfort. love sonny

James Wright

May 16, 2003

My God Bless the family in its' time of need.

DEBORAH TYDINGS

May 16, 2003

GOD HAS BLESSES ME SO MUCH WENT HE

INTRODUCE INTO MY AUNT GLADYS LIFE

I GIVE GOD ALL THE PRAISE. LOVE ALWAY

Jeannine Galloway

May 16, 2003

I am very sadden to hear that Aunt Gladys has passed on to her heavenly home. The last time I got a chance to talk with her was at my great-grandmother's birthday, Mrs. Pauline Cauthorne Morton's birthday of February 2002. I was very happy to finally get a chance to meet and talk to her, because I was only a little girl at the time before when we met. May God be with all of the family and friends during this time of sorrow.

Hope Queen-Johnson

May 16, 2003

"Aunt Gladys" as I called her, the woman with a heart of gold. I will never forget all the trips I made to see her growing up and the stewed tomatoes she made just for me. She will be truly missed.

Debbie Cauthorne Jeffers

May 16, 2003

Dear Randolph, Bess, Phil and Lauren - I am so saddened by your loss. Be we know that "...to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord...". Gladys is finally free!! My heart aches for the physical loss of her but my soul rejoices that she knew the Lord and rests in His glorious kingdom now. She is no longer encumbered with the burdens and cares of this world and patiently waits for the rest of us.

Bess I am awed and humbled at your faithfulness - you are a powerful example to me of a devoted daughter. And my admiration extends also to Phil, Lauren and Randolph and other family members for your tireless vigil during these last few difficult months.... y’all were continuously there for Gladys. What a source of comfort that *must* have been to her to hear, feel and sense your familiar loving presence. Even to the end she had that firm grip in her hands, did she not?! It was as if all her consciousness was focused into her hands and you really didn't want to let go - so that she would know someone was there with her.

Speaking of her hands - what marvelous meals Gladys would prepare with those hands! And when those rolls popped out...well let me just say that some of us shamelessly began asking for plastic bags or aluminum foil (smile) before those bad boys had even cooled!

My earlier memories of Gladys were filtered through my memories of Burnie. Coming down the the "country" (as we used to say) was always made brighter at the thought of seeing Burnie, since we were closer in age. I would beg Mom to take me the extra 15 minutes or so past Dunnsville to see her. And when I began driving I still had to beg to take the car!! I thank God for Burnie's time on this earth…candidly, I'm not sure how many times I might have made that trek otherwise. As a result I came to know Gladys and she always had a smile and Randolph always had a big hug for me. Being a "city girl" I was fascinated with life for you all there. I believe Randolph and Gladys were my first "models" of an entreprenuerial husband and wife working together and they seemed to do it so well.

In recent years I became impressed even more with Gladys' physical beauty...she had such a regal presence about her. I was mesmerized by her beautiful wavy hair and she was always so calm and kind to me. And you could count on Gladys being present at our Cauthorne-Brooks Family Re-Union planning meetings. Our meetings never were complete without her anecdotes about people, places, events and things “back in the day”. Gladys would start talking and Ness would scramble to capture it all!! I often remember Ness lamenting that she wished she had a tape recorder present at those times because Gladys’ recollections were amazing. You could close your eyes and be whisked back 50-60 years and feel the nostalgia wash over you as she talked about times gone by.

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to assist you.

Love Baz-N-Deb Jeffers

Sabrina Llorance Delores Smothers

May 16, 2003

Gladys was a very special lady. We will miss her deeply. Our prayers and thoughts are with you. Gladys will always be in our hearts.

Ora Lockley-Jones

May 15, 2003

To Bessida and Mr. Randolph White, I was truly saddened to learn of the death of Mrs. Gladys White. I first remember her from visiting Mill Road Elementary School where I attended first through third grades.

Gina Whitaker-Norman

May 15, 2003

To Mr. Bladen and family:

Please accept my sincere condolences reagrding the loss of your family member. I am a former student of Mr. Bladen's (Thompson Middle School - 1970's). May God continue to bless and keep the entire family during your time of bereavement.

Sandra Chandler

May 15, 2003

Mrs. White was truly an inspiration to me-she always knew what was going on. She may be gone from this earth but she will never be forgotten.

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