MAE FRANCES WHITE

Obituary For MAE FRANCES WHITE

Service

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

11:00 AM

Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church

Rev. Carl Harris, Pastor

Visitation

Tuesday, December 9, 2025

5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Wells Chapel

811 Woods Street

Burial

Lakeview Cemetery

Mae Frances White, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and devoted woman of faith, peacefully passed away on December 2, 2025, at the age of 94 after a brief illness. She was born on July 5, 1931, the cherished daughter of Roscoe Gibson and Mary Corzine Gibson.

Mae Frances grew up in Wichita Falls, Texas, receiving her formal education through the Wichita Falls Independent School District. She proudly graduated from Booker T. Washington Senior High School, where she formed lifelong friendships and a strong foundation for the values that guided her life.

In her early adult years, Mae Frances married Curtis Thomas, who preceded her in death. During their union, she was blessed with five children: Dorothy, Doris, Joyce, Tony, and Patricia. Mae Frances was a devoted and nurturing mother whose love, guidance, and steady presence shaped her children's lives.

In time, Mae Frances met and fell in love with Henry White, who passed away in 2020. Their marriage spanned more than 40 years and was a true partnership built on mutual respect, dedication, and deep affection.

Through this union, Mae Frances gained three beloved bonus children: Jerry White (deceased), Gary Don White (deceased), and Sharri Allen Torrence. She embraced them wholeheartedly and treated them with the same warmth and devotion that defined her as a mother and caregiver.

Mae Frances accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, where she attended faithfully until her marriage to Henry White. Upon her marriage, she transferred her membership to Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, joining her husband in faith and service.

There, she continued her committed work for the Lord-serving as a deaconess, singing joyfully with the Senior Choir, and lovingly preparing homemade communion bread every first Sunday, an act she performed with deep reverence and care.

Mae Frances had a distinguished career in retail, breaking barriers as the first black salesclerk in Wichita Falls in the early 1960s. She began her career at The Orchid Shop, followed by Fedway, and later spent several years at Dillard's, where she retired at age 62. During her tenure at Dillard's, Mae Frances achieved remarkable accomplishments, including Dillard's, Mae Frances achieved remarkable accomplishments, including becoming a member of the exclusive $125,000 Sales Club and, in 1991, receiving the Top Sales Award for $279,383 in sales. Beyond her professional success, she dedicated time to supporting her community, assisting the YMCA with local youth fundraisers and contributing personally to help with their mission to support young people.

She is preceded in death by her parents, seven brothers, two sisters, and two daughters: Doris Thomas Bryant and Joyce Thomas. She is also preceded in death by three granddaughters: Charlene Jones-Hicks, Sonya Dee Sheppard, and Tiffanie Jordan.

Mae Frances leaves behind four children: Dorothy Lambert, Tony Thomas (Karen Oliver-Thomas), Patricia Jordan, and Sharri Torrence; one sister, Joann Scott; 15 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; 22 great-great grandchildren; and a host of relatives and friends who will forever cherish her memory.

Mae Frances White lived a life marked by grace, humility, and unwavering faith. Her gentle spirit, wisdom, and compassion touched countless lives, and her legacy continues in the hearts of all who knew and loved her. Though her physical presence will be deeply missed, her memory and the values she instilled will continue to shine brightly.